that it is out of a certaine feare and an assured expectation that he shall be made partaker of greater torment which without ease or remedy he is euer after to endure And if the waters when they are dammed swell the higher and the putrified tumor not launched paine the sorer how shall not he now fretting then euen eat himselfe in fury when all occasion by which and subiects saue his owne vassals whereupon to worke his malice shall be fully remoued and his powerfull rage and raging power finally restrained And the rather because hee shall still retaine a desire to cast dust vpon the beauty of Gods glory and hinder if then it were possible the felicity of the blessed Angels euer happy Saints of whom euery Alleluiah which they sing vnto the Almighty being as so many stinging Scorpions to his malicious minde Thus farre then God is gracious vnto them in that though they be deliuered into chaines of darknesse 2. Pet. 2.4 Iud. 9. where cannot want horror yet they are as yet only reserued vnto iudgement which hereafter is to passe both against and vpon them Oh the loue goodnesse and bounty of God for height as Iacobs Ladder it stretcheth to the Heauens for bredth as the Curtaine it couereth all Nations for length it extendeth to all times for depth it pierceth the darksome dennes of the damned soules and infernall spirits So as it is shadowed in the creatures cleerely shewed in the sacred Scriptures by his workes of both mercy and iustice manifested in reason confirmed by all must bee confessed that God is mercifully iust and iustly mercifull and though his mercy be enlarged his Iustice is not lessened and though his Iustice be inflicted yet his mercy is extended Oh that we were such Eagles as that the eyes of our minds could so gaze at this Sunne that bathing our selues in the water of Gods sacred Fountaine our old corruption might be shaken off and we so renued in the strength of our created condition that the meditation of his mercy and iustice so indifferently seated in him the consideration of his seuerity and clemency so vnpartially executed by him might alwaies sit at the helme of our hearts hoise the sailes of our affections and be the Pilot of our practises in respect of him our selues and others then should wee in respect of him not onely in our affections saile with a faire gale of fearing loue and surrender to him his right of our louing feare espying the Ensignes of his Iustice but also in our actions his clemency would cherish alacrity and his seuerity inflame our sincerity For our affections as the nobler metals cast into the Furnace are turned into the colour and participate of the heat of fire so the heart of man fixed vpon Gods mercy by meditation should be fired with the loue of his Maiesty hauing an eye to his due our duty and the dignity of it His due it is as he is God louely in himselfe louing towards vs. Louely in himselfe and therefore well said Bernard Tract de dilig Deo Causa diligendi Deam Deus est sufficient cause of louing the Lord is the consideration that he is God For whatsoeuer is desirable that he is Doth power is the Adamant iron draw our affections to it He is King of Kings the Lord of Lords a God of Omnipotency Does that which is auncienta lure our hearts to delight in it He is the auncient of daies a God of greatest antiquitie Doth knowledge keepe the minde in admiration of it He vnderstandeth our thoughts long before neither is any thing hid vnto him a God of omnisciency He is the God of vnity which is the honour of brethren the God of constancy the crowne of friendship the God of wisdome the glory of man He is a shade to the weary a shelter to the wronged a treasury to the needy Hee is truth which is so much commended He is light in which we are so much delighted He is life which of all things is so much desired If honour the aime of the ambitious if riches the desire of the couetous if fame the hope of the vaine-glorious if excellency absolute perfection endlesse felicity or any other thing which soules would wish to be partakers of may glue our hearts vnto them then the Lord For all things that are good are in him and deriued from him who is goodnesse it selfe to be loued because in himselfe he is so louely and so louing towards vs louing vs freely fully firmely For before we loued him 1 Iohn 4.19 he loued vs first the dew of his graces fell first vpon our fruitlesse soules the beames of his bounty reflected first vpon our vnsanctified hearts the light of his countenance shone first vpon our darkened vnderstandings our affections were first warmed with the fire of his loue our desires first kindled with the blast of his spirit our dead members first reuiued with the hand of his power before we conceiued affected acted any thing which was heauenly Till the furrowes of our hearts were sowen with the seed of his blessings nothing but weeds there appeared till we as trees were transplanted into the soyle of his Church nothing but bitter fruits were there to be gathered till wee as plants were inoculated into Christ the true Vine nothing but sowre grapes could there be tasted His loue cast salt into our waters and made them sweet put clay vpon our eies and made them see then then not before we watered the tender sprigs in his orchard and perceiued the sweetnesse of his fauour and so louing vs first he loued vs freely Freely when we would not when we could not loue him when we would not for when we were filled with malice swelled with enmity opposite to all entertainment of Amitie then did he shadow vs with the wings of his fauor shelter vs in the harbor of his goodnesse hide vs vnder the helmet of his protection when vve sought his infamy then wrought he our glory when we endeuored his hurt he deuised our helpe when wee actuated his death he redeemed our life when our enmity fled neglected resisted then his kindnesse followed called perswaded nay when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5.10 when we would not he loued vs freely no lesse when we could not in respect of our degeneration generation For our degeneration it was so great as there was nothing gratious in vs such was the wound which Sathan by sinne had giuen vs that wee not onely lay polluted in our owne bloud Ezech. 16.6 but the vitall spirits of our spirituall life were so let out that wee were dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 2.5 hauing hearts but no hearts to loue him hauing soules but no soules to long for him hauing bodies but no bodies to worship him our soules and bodies as farre from purposing any spirituall worshipping as dead men are from performing any
corporall worke foules and bodies no more willing to yeeld him the least holy affections than dead men are able to perfect the most honourable action Freely then he loued vs in that he died for vs and quickned vs by his spirit when we were sinners and dead in trespasses so that we could not loue him in regard of our degeneration Let vs now see the freenesse of his loue towards vs when wee could not loue him in regard of generation We had not then receiued being when Gods loue tovvards vs had receiued a beginning our soules were then vnbreathed our bodies then vnframed when our soules and bodies were by him affected When this glorious structure laid on nay in the earth when our goodliest building was only clay when our houses had no hands as Keepers to tremble Eccles 12.3 nor teeth as grinders to cease nor eies as Windowes to looke out at nor mouth as the doore to be shut nor iawe bones to sound in the grinding nor arteries or eares as the daughters of speech and singing to be abased no marrow or sinewes as siluer cord to be lessened nor the braines Tunicle as a golden Ewer to be broken nor any Veine as a Pitcher wherein the bloud is contained to be broken at the Liuer as the Well nor the head which turnes as a Wheele to be broken at the heart whence as out of a Cisterne all the powers of life are drawne nor the body which was raised out of the dust nor the Spirit which came from God before any of these were to be found we were interested in Gods fauour the earth was created for our habitation the creatures appointed for our vse in Gods loue before euer either we beheld the Light or the Light was brought out of darknesse or darknesse was vpon the face of the deepe Gen. 1.2 Loue is one of the affections and affections are seated in the heart the heart is placed in the midst of the body but neither could the body conteine the heart nor the heart cast affection nor the affection be carried in the chariot of Loue till loue affection hart and body had a being If then the Lords fauour was set vpon vs before any of these were sited in vs it is cleerer than the Sunnes brightnesse when the cleerenesse of the skie giues freest liberty to his rayes in the midst of the Hemisphere that we could not loue him when he loued vs because we were not when the eies of his excellency did sparkle the flame of his affections towards vs and therefore he louing vs before we loued him nay when we as enemies would not as sinners and dead men in respect of degeneration and without being in respect of generation could not loue him I appeale to the testimony of euery conscience if he loued not freely And seeing we must confesse he loued freely we may conceit he loued fully For in euery part of the body in euery power of the soule is imprinted the character of his fauour Is the eie at any time restrained from beholding vanitie it is a signe of his loue Is the mouth at any instant shut that it speaketh not blasphemy it is a token of his care Is the eare at any season stopt from hearing calumny it is an emblem of his mercy Is the foot staied vpon any occasion from following impietie oppression and cruelty it is the ensigne of his goodnesse His loue enlightneth the vnderstanding His loue rectifieth the Iudgement His loue ordereth the affections and his loue directeth the will Such a Sunne is the Lord to vs that there is no cranny of the heart but his rayes doe enter entring enlighten enlightning informe the minde reforme the manners and conforme the whole man to religious courses Childhood claimes a part in his loue Youth challengeth a portion in his fauour and Age hath not the least interest in his mercy He pardoneth sins fully accepteth vs in Christ fully receiued vs to himselfe fully will glorifie vs sully needs then he must loue vs fully which hee could not doe if hee loued not firmely for then there should be with him mutability Jam. 1.17 with whom there is neither colour nor shadow of changing Loue in electing vs before all time was the beginning if I may attribute beginning to that which is without all beginning Loue in redeeming vs in his appointed time was the continuing Loue in glorifying vs beyond all time shal be the consummating of our felicity all which trumpet out the firmnesse of it That friendship is not firme which is desisted that fauour is not faithfull which is not continued that faith not constant which is violated Cancell the euidence of his Couenant falsifie the truth of his promises stop the Fountaine of his mercies towards vs how shall he be the finisher of our saluation Heb. 12.2 Though this Ocean be dispersed into many chanels it suffers no diminution though this Sunne bee extended into many climates it admits no diuision though this gold bee transported into many countries it is free from alteration so strong as labour cannot weaken it so solid as vse cannot weare it so rich a treasury as time it selfe cannot wast it It followed Ioseph in his brethrens hatred Gen. 37. attended on him among the Madianites ver 39. houered ouer him in the Prison ver 40. honoured him in Pharohs Court ver 41. If Israel trauell from one Nation to another people Psa 105.13 14. Gods loue suffered no man to doe them wrong and rather than they shall bee vnregarded Kings shall be rebuked Contrarieties are combined for the good of vs if we bee within his loues compasse what prosperity promiseth aduersity bringeth and what is denyed by calamity is not yeelded by temporall felicity loue seeking in all things alike our good and keeping vs alwaies at one with our God so as neither death Rom. 8.38 39. nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from his loue which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. How are not our hearts as the thirsty ground greatly desiring and our bowels troubled within vs till we finde them filled with a loue of his Maiesty who is louely in himselfe louing towards vs seeing we yeeld vnto him no more than his due as good and render him our only duty as God The Heauens speake vnto the earth the earth cals vnto the waters the waters crie vnto the aire all of these summon euery one of their inhabitants to proclaime vnto man that God is onely his and nothing so properly his owne as is the Lord being his portion for euer if we be hungry Psal 73.26 he is bread for vs if we be thirsty he is water to quench it if we be in darknesse he is light if we be sicke he is our Physitian if we be blinde he is seeing though
be wanting to worke thy ease is afraid to come neere that breath which she with delight sometime sucked Neither your former faith nor mutuall loue nor the remembrance of the children of thine owne body can either moue her to prouide for thy health or pittie thy mishap but casting off all care of thy good conscience towards God perswades thee to blaspheme him and die accursed Doe not they whose fathers thou refusedst to set with thy flockes mocke thee doe not the children of fooles and villaines more vilde than earth spit in thy face and spare not to abhorre and make songs of thee Doth not age neglect and youth push at thee and all take pleasure in thy calamitie How hast thou offended that God who casts not away the vpright Thou art wicked else would hee take thee by the hand thy reioycing should not be so short nor thy ioy so momentary Doth he stablish the posterity of the righteous and were not thy children in the midst of their feasting sent to the place of their iniquitie There is some deepe matter in thee wickednesse was sweet in thy mouth though it lay hid vnder thy tongue thou didst fauour it and wouldst not forsake it and therefore thou hast vomited thy substance and thy mounting in excellency is perished as thy dung neither is there hope left for ease or remedie Thou art compassed with endlesse care no tongue to comfort thee no hand to helpe thee no musicke to delight thine eare and cure the sting of this Tarantula Where is any freedome from byles in thy body any ease in thy bed any solace in thy spirit Painfull nights are appointed thee and no mitigation of thy misery in the day The Almighty the Almighty hath set himselfe against thee and will not let thee alone till thou swallow thy spittle and art thou not as one that teareth his soule in anger Better a short life than such a lingring death and therefore curse God and die Vnto which blasphemy the extremity of his woes had drawne him if the feare of God had not resisting preserued the fire of faith and continued the power of patience with these perswasions What hast thou lost that which was neuer thine when first thou sawest the light And what are Oxen Camels Seruants Children did not God giue them vpon condition that thou shouldst resigne them wilt thou desire to with-hold that which hee will haue or endeuour to recouer what he did take haue not seruants bin the cause of sorrow to some masters Children the occasion of discontent to some Parents Riches the ruine of many men and might not all haue beene so to thee The earth is none of thy peculiar thou expectest thy patrimony in a better place It is not thy proper right it is giuen into the hands of the wicked who many times are most wealthy Let it not then grieue thee that thou art not loaded with the clay of a strange countrey nor adorned with the counterfeit pearles of a forraine people High aduancement and great fauours in another nation are not alwaies seconded with good successe What though thy misery is not limited with want but enlarged with many woes not in missing good but suffering griefe Greater than thy selfe haue felt the weight of the Lords hand Job 12.19.21 for he leadeth Counsellers away spoiled and maketh the Iudges fooles he looseth the bond of Kings and girdeth their loynes with a girdle He leadeth Princes away spoiled and powreth contempt vpon them he weakeneth the strength of the mighty and ouerthroweth them But howsoeuer the same afflictions arrest not the same euent at the end attendeth all men One dieth in his full strength being in all ease and prosperity Iob. 21. his breasts runne full of milke and his bones are full of marrow And another dieth in the bitternesse of his soule and neuer eateth with pleasure they shall sleepe both in the dust and the wormes shall couer them what pleasure hath the former in his prosperity when the number of his moneths is cut off may he not be one of those who is kept vnto the day of destruction and shall bee brought forth to the day of wrath or what disprofit hath the latter either in life or death In life doth not his miseries lift vp his minde to God open his eare to discipline and draw his feet from iniquitie Job 28. Iron is taken out of the dust and Brasse is moulten out of the stone out of the same earth commeth bread and vnder it as it were is fire turned vp From the dust of misery proceedeth the strength of affiance and from the stone of calamitie commeth contrition from affliction is fetched the bread of instruction and vnder them as it were is turned vp the fire of deuotion Be it that thy tribulations be tedious thou hast sinned and thou must suffer yet thy God who seemeth to set himselfe against thee is mans preseruer will he destroy the worke of his owne hands which he loueth or deface that image which he affecteth Acquaint thy selfe with him and make peace and thereby thou shalt haue prosperitie Iob 9.15 though thy righteousnesse were as a robe vpon thee yet thy safest course were to supplicate his grace Be thou patient and hee will speake peace vnto thy soule gird vp thy loines like a man looke on his creatures and obserue his power which by euery thing is obeyed note his wisdome whereby euery thing is disposed He that shut vp the sea with doores 38.8 can aswell stop thy sorrowes Hee that commandeth the morning light can as suddenly sparkle the beames of his bounty vpon thee He putteth an end and setteth a bound to darknesse and the shadow of death and cannot he chaine thy calamity and finish thy perplexities Though he kill thee 13.15 yet trust in him and call vpon him What is it he cannot doe or what meanes is vnknowne vnto him Let death sease vpon thee if thou reliest on him thou shalt liue and therefore wait thy daies may end in prosperity and thy yeares in pleasure In death Art not thou perswaded that thy redeemer liueth and shall stand the last on earth and that thou shalt behold him not with other but with these thine eies behold him not as an angry Iudge to condemne but a louing Sauiour to absolue thee behold him not as a reuenger of thy sinnes but as a Redeemer of thy soule Thus doth the feare of God entertaine for vs the combat and fight couragiously yet this were not so comfortable if it did not Conquer victoriously but now vpon the conflict followeth the conquest For did not this sword murder the bloudy command of Pharoh in the hearts of the Aegyptian Midwiues did not this stone flying from the heart of Ioseph strike sinne on the head so that it sunke downe groueling vpon the ground neuer to reuiue againe Many and sore were the skirmishes which Iob had with Satan impatience and his affliction but
which not to iudge most necessary in our selues is an horrible absurdity from which we could not bee freed in iudging of others if wee were once perswaded that the Lord is not either to be drawne to punish or not to be induced to pity For should we not condemne the generation of the iust in powring out their prayers to preuent his wrath sending forth their supplications to obtaine his blessings doubtlesse we should not but account their desires of feruency but friuolous and their deeds of fidelity to be superfluous which absurdity sometime preserued Dauid from a dangerous error and brought him into Gods Sanctuary where wee may learne this as he did the like that the Lord doth both ascend the throne of Iustice and sit in the seat of Mercy vnlesse in contempt of him iniury to our selues iniustice towards others we deny him of freedome power and truth robbing our selues of faith feare and obedience disrobing those who are good of their holy hope and hoped for happinesse vnlesse wee shake hands with the bad whose conuersation expresse their minds corruption and their manners testifie the peruersnesse of their opinion and conceit Heauens happinesse to be a fiction of poesie and hels horror to be only a fable of policy blasphemies abominable blasphemies once to bee imagined We will acknowledge him to be a God abundant in goodnesse and mercy and yet not making the wicked innocent as by all must be confessed For if any might pleade altogether for Gods mercy then Iesus Christ his sonne the engrauen image of his substance participating of his owne essence equall in might and maiesty with himselfe doing nothing which might offend him all things appointed by him his begotten onely begotten his beloued best beloued sonne in whom alone hee is well pleased yet if he became a pawne for sinne he must beare the pangues of sorrow if hee will vndertake the childrens faults he must vndergoe the fathers fury so as though he be preserued because a sonne he shall be punished as a seruant though hee shall weare the crowne of glory as a Conquerour yet first he must beare the brunt of the battel because a Champion so that Christ cannot but confesse him a God of Iustice From which if any other might seeme to be free then the blessed Angels or if any might be thought not to partake of mercy then the infernall and damned spirits but as the former must acknowledge the Lord to be iust though Iustice in them may seeme to be swallowed vp of mercy so the latter must confesse the Lord to be mercifull though mercy in them appeare to be smothered by iustice For if Iustice be to attribute to euery one his due and Gods will be the rule of Iustice seeing that he hath purposed and appointed the blessed Angels continuance in their created condition that condition becomes their due because the Lord is in some sort become their debter not for their worthinesse but of his owne good will Now as to vndoe that which he hath done were to blemish his power to brand him with impotency so not to continue that which he hath once vnalterably decreed shall be conferred is in him apparant iniustice to them manifest iniury In that therefore what he once purposed is still performed what he once intended is neuer desisted the continuance of his will is the continuance of his iustice whereof his will is the Life and Law to which his will giues birth and being rule and direction so as they remaining within the lists of his will cannot bee without the limits of his Iustice For seeing Iustice giueth euery one his due and it is equall and iust that the Creator should binde the creature and the creature obey the Creator in that his commands are in force among them and their obedience performed towards him the blessed Angels must confesse him iust because they may not deny vnto him obedience the badge of Iustice whereby it is discerned as the tree by the fruit the flower by the smell the fire by the heat the seruant by his liuerie Therefore as Bernard De verb. Orig. In coelo sola vtique iustitia nihilominus laetitia so may I say not against his sense and meaning though in Heauen there may seeme to be onely ioy yet there is also iustice for obedience the Liuery of it is there worne and Gods will the Rule of it is there working and howsoeuer mercy is there to them set vp for euer yet his truth is established in the very Heauens But how shall it appeare that his Mercie is manifest in any manner or measure to the damned soules and infernall spirits As for the damned soules herein he is good to them that hee as yet ioyneth not their bodies with them to partake of the same punishment seeing as the body did increase the sinne of the soule while they were vnited so the presence of the body in the course of iustice must augment the tortures sorrowes and pangs of the soule so soone as they are againe conioyned As for the infernall spirits herein his mcrcy towards them is vndeniable in that their decreed and long since iustly deserued torments are not in the greatest and most grieuous measure as yet inflicted as some of themselues seeme to insinuate and insinuating confesse to our Sauiour while they as it were complaine of and repine against him Art thou come to torment vs before the time which is not so to be conceiued as though they were not now tormented but that the greatnesse of their torments is for a time deferred Tormented they now are for can the Malefactor thinke of his doome and his spirits not be daunted with the thought of death Perhaps a Malefactor may be either comforted vpon repentance hoping for a better life or not deiected atheistically conceiting there is hereafter neither better nor worse prepared lot But Satan cleerely apprehends and apprehending certainely knowes the sentence that is decreed to passe against him is as seuere as it is sure and therefore needs must the horrour of his iudgement for the present greatly perplexe him Doth the emptinesse of the Lions entrailes make him roare when he wants and whiles he seekes his prey and shall we not thinke that hee is pinched Doth enuy consume the bones and malice breake out into fury shall we not say that the mind is grieued and the man much vexed Surely then Satan through his vnsatiable desire alwaies hungry and roaring for his prey neuer destitute of enuy and malice 1 Pet. 5.7 in that Gods glory is preserued Christs Kingdome increased those who were farre inferiour to him by created condition and constitution are daily preferred to bee partakers of those ioyes and perfections whereof if not of greater he is and for euer shall be depriued cannot but be much tormented or else whence is it that he is said to rage which is encreased by how much more the day of iudgement draweth neere An vnanswerable argument
strong City whereof Dauid is partaker but once in all his life as is very probable for this mercy in this manner was but once conferred seeing it is no where else in the same phrase remembred This then is a portion of Scripture euery word whereof hath his worth euery circumstance his weight and presenteth vnto our meditations Dauids gratitude Blessed be the Lord and the Lords great goodnesse towards him He hath shewed me his maruellous kindnesse in a strong City In dilating of both which though we may perfectly discouer the branches before we can discerne the tree yet we know that the roote and bole is in respect of time before the branches and when we perceiue the effect and consequence we must needs presuppose a preceding cause So howsoeuer Dauids thankfulnesse be the first expressed yet it must needs be granted that the Lords kindnesse was the first extended and therefore without preiudice to that order which is here vsed in the expressing of both these acts for my more methodicall proceeding and your better profiting Let the Lords kindnesse be the first subiect of my speech and the first obiect of your attentions because it was the first in action For first the Lord shewed his kindnesse and then Dauid testified his Thankfulnesse In the Lords kindnesse obserue three circumstances First the Agent He. Secondly the Act what this He did He shewed Thirdly the acts obiect what he shewed kindnesse First of the agent He that is the Lord here is the first court of the Temple wherein I no sooner set my foot but on the sudden so rare a Maiesty is vnueiled in my sight as my minde is amazed and my feet so fettered that I cannot moue till I glance at the properties of that glorious Person on whom if we cast our eyes wee may behold in him not onely the winter of sharpe seuerity but also the summer of cheering clemency Wee may see as well a dimple in his cheeke cheerefully fauoring as a wrinckle in his brow seuerely frowning For this He though he had before smitten as a Foe yet now doth he smile as a Father This He hauing drawne a foggy veile ouer his face shewed a cloudy countenance and yet remouing that veile againe manifesteth a gracious looke This He now altogether refresheth Dauids languishing spirits with a comfortable calme who a little before had almost ouerturned his soule with a tempestuous storme For he said in his sudden apprehension of his danger wherein he iustly was through his sinne I am cast out of thy sight Vers 22. So that in the Lord are indifferently seated as in their proper subiect two different properties Mercy and Iustice and by him are indifferently executed two diuers workes Seuerity and Clemency As is partly shadowed in the creatures plainly shewed in the sacred Scriptures by his workes demonstrated in reason may bee confirmed by all must be confessed Shadowed in the creatures Thinke not much by things created to learne the knowledge of their Creator For Praesentem narrat quaelibet herba Dâ—um Euery plant represents Gods presence There is no creature though most contemptible but either his vnsearchable wisdome or his vnresistable power or the all-warming Sunne of his goodnesse or the all-seeing eye of his prouidence One or other of his ineffable properties is lesse or more shadowed in it And as we may finde the Fountaine by the Riuer and the Spring by the Streame so wee may attaine at the least a glance at and see with Moses the hinder parts of the Lord by his workes For the inuisible things of God from the creation of the world are cleerely seene being vnderstood by the things that are made euen his eternall power and Godhead as Saint Paul affirmeth Rom. 1.20 And therefore aptly is Seculum called Speculum this worlds Globe termed a looking-glasse And not without cause doth Iob send vs to the senselesse creatures to learne our lessons concerning him Ch. 12. ver 7 8. Aske saith he the beasts and they shall teach thee and the Fowles of the Heauen and they shall tell vnto thee or speake to the earth and it shall shew thee or the fishes of the Sea and they shall declare vnto thee euen this amongst other that as the Lion hath his paw to imprison his voice to terrifie and his teeth to teare his prey yet withall commiserateth the woes of the prostrate and suffereth no rauenous beast to touch that which he hath vndertaken to protect So the Lion of the Tribe of Iuda can as well encounter his foes with terrour Reu. 5.5 as entertaine his friends in fauour As the Eagle hath his talents to strike and his wings to shadow so the Lord hath his threats to chastise and his fauours to encourage As the Leopard hath comely spots to delight as well as a crooked countenance to affright and as whom the beautifull skinne of the Panther allureth to fancy his speed and cruell pursuit admonisheth to feare so the Lord hath a terrible countenance to beget a dread of his might and varietie of mercies to breed a delight in his Maiesty and whomsoeuer the beames of his bounty cannot warme in affection the flames of his fury shall pursue to destruction But if the creatures be not sufficient trumpeters of this truth because they in part doe only shadow it let vs heare the sacred Scriptures as Heauens Heralds proclaiming it as vndeniable for they plainly shew it Sometimes drawing our eyes to view the Lord seated on a white Iuory Throne of Maiesty with eyes sparkling forth nothing but signes of fauour with a tongue pronouncing words of comfort to raise vp the deiected soule and refresh the wearied spirit with lips divulging promises in their due time certainly to be performed to confirme the wauering mind and make resolute the inconstant and vnresolued man with armes stretched out ready to imbrace those that in reuerence approach vnto him and with a countenance assuring the freenesse of his grace and the firmnesse of his goodnesse somtimes descending from his Throne of excellency to examine the truth of transgressions cry and see the sinnes of man before he strike as a mercifull Iudge vnwilling to condemne the accused till the euidence be too cleere against him and loth to put the sword of Iustice into the Executioners hand till the prisoners fault be palpably proued but on the contrary when the clamour of impiety is iustly apparant and punishment is declared to be sinnes desert they present him exalted on a sable seat and set vpon wraths tribunall eyes darting out flames of fury mouth threatning certaine misery hands casting downe fire and brimstone storme and tempest and a countenance menacing the furiousnesse of his wrath and the fulnesse of the disobedients woe Somtimes they call him a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Psal 31.3 to imply the greatnes of his displeasure and a Fortresse to decipher the firmnesse of his fauour Somtimes they compare him to a Lion roaring for
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 Ahab Indeed hast thou killed and also got possession And as intruding pernicious Inhabitants to spirituall graces driueth them out with violence It preuenteth impiety towards God iniquity towards man and so continueth a blessed life in a wretched world whence it is that Moses who was faithfull in all Gods house saith that God came to proue the people of Israel that his feare might be before them that they might not sinne Exod. 20.20 Let then the feare of God bee before our eyes presented to our minds sinne which is as subtile as the Serpent cannot deceiue vs sinne though it put on the shape of sanctity shall not circumuent vs sinne though it promise much affected pleasure much followed profit shall not perswade vs. For sinnes Stratagems by the feare of God are discouered sinnes perswasions by the feare of God are reiected sinnes strongest arguments by the feare of God are confuted Thence it is that by that exact obseruer the Prophet Dauid these two are set together as if they were as inseparable as Hypocrates Twinnes Psal 4.5 standing in ame and not sinning fearing and not falling for where feare hath seased sinne cannot be admitted where feare hath got possession in vaine for sinne to pretend a title The Lords Palace the soule so furnished is no fit mansion by Satans tenant to be inhabited the spirits temple so garnished hath no Altar on which sinnes sacrifice may bee offered The blessed Redeemer hath there no Table whereat sinnes seruice though neuer so plausible can be entertained Let Pharaoh enioine Exod. 1.17 if euill feare denies obedience and holds his directions to be deuillish Let Nebuchadnezzar prescribe if wicked his prescriptions as vnsound Principles are neglected Gen. 19. Let Ioseph be entised by the feare of God all entisements are preuented Prou. 14.27 for it is a Well spring of life to auoid the snares of death and not onely to auoid death but euen to preserue life 10.27 c. nay and encrease the dayes Psal 34.11 what though the number of your dayes be accompanied with many dangers and you tossed with many tempests the feare of God is an assured Anchor Moral 22. Anchora mentis pondus timoris saith Gregory the fire of concupiscence cannot fasten vpon this affection to consume it the waters of tribulation cannot enter into this grace to rust it the earthly qualitie of Couetousnesse cannot infect this seede to spoile it nor the contagion of vaine-glory and false opinion tosse this gift of the spirit to ouerthrow it Though the raine of miseries showre vpon the soule though the floud of temptation come against the heart though the wind of diuers opinions blow vpon the mind and all these with vnited forces beat vpon the whole man yet where the feare of the Lord is those showres finde a good soile to sucke them vp those flouds meete with great rampires to repell their fury those winds finde sufficient strength to resist their rage Prou. 19.23 so as that man continues safe and falls not being built vpon the feare of God as vpon a rock But be it the violence of these stormes haue captiued your thoughts and made you yeeld to that which hath displeased your God so that you dare not approach his presence this feare is a powerfull Aduocate Though sinne made Adam hide himselfe from him whose face he was afraid to see for shame though murder caused Caine to flye from the Lord to whose presence he durst not approach though Trechery compelled Iudas violently to hasten the end of his owne accursed daies as hopelesse of any pardon as he was haplesse in that impiety and perswaded him to flye from the sight of angry Heauen as he thought by quitting himselfe of the horror of his owne heart yet the feare of God as a well-tongued Orator perswades so pithily as a sound Logitian argues so profoundly as a Iudges fauorite preuailes so powerfully that all showers of dislike are ceased all clouds of doubts are dispersed and all tempests of discontents are ended and he who is seazed in this tenure enioyeth and is admitted this priuiledge to be accepted of the Lord. Act. 10.35 Are you yet againe doubtfull to bee drawne away to error before your Iourney bee ended Heb. 12.28 and feare vncertaine wandering no better Cumrade can bee had than this Counseller for it instructeth the Minde directeth thy Manners Would you plucke the fruits of the tree of knowledge this feare giueth entrance to it Would you make vse of knowledge in due practise This feare is the beginning of Wisdome Prou. 1.7 Psal 111.10 which is to keepe the Commandements Whosoeuer is possessor of this grace is so gracious in the eies of the Lord that the Lord himselfe will become his teacher and director not in the way which the world Psal 25.12 nor that wherein his owne naturall corruption delighteth but that whereof hee himselfe who cannot erre nor be deceiued maketh a choise Such a sweet Companion is this Counseller and such a faithfull Counseller is this Companion that through all the tearing bryers all the pricking thornes all the alluring fruits all the dangerous and doubtfull pathes all the cares pleasures and incumbrances of this world it findes out a path Frou 19.23 chalkes out a way and leades vs safely vnto Life Be it while we are trauelling we are beset with the beasts of the forrest enuironed with many oppositions yet subiect to securitie The feare of God is a carefull Centinell to giue notice of our dangers A Centinell it is watching the approach discouering the plots of the Enemies for Satan labours first of all to put out the eie of feare well knowing the whole army remaineth sure though securely sleeping while the Centinell is vnslaine and so farre prevaileth he as this grace becomes his Captiue assuring himselfe the day when this is conquered For when he had dimmed the eie of feare in Eue she became to read as if it had beene a larger Character than it was and with her tongue to speake as Satans slaue in his mincing language lest peraduenture ye die Gen. 3. whereupon the Serpent takes occasion and luls as with Mercuries enchanting rod by his charming speech each corner of her minde asleepe ye shall not die at all then shewed her the excellency of it whereupon she gazed happy had she happy had wee beene if shee had not glanced at that Tree Gen. 3.6 and perceiued that the tree was good for foode and that it was pleasant to the eies and a Tree to be desired to make one wise But she tooke and eat Thus was it quite put out and she forgat God who gaue her this for her Centinell which duly watched truly warned her of her danger but she treacherously gaue way to the suggestion of the Serpent and so became a slaue which otherwise had neuer beene for if she had preserued it liuely she had liued happily and
you sigh in sorrow through too late repentance If your posterity in the succeeding age feele the plague haue they not cause to condemne your pitty and call it folly that fostred stings in your owne bosomes Nature teacheth euery thing to preserue it selfe and euery creature will prouide for the young ones safety Cut then the thred of these Infants liues for what are their Parents such as with whom it is abomination for the Aegyptians to eat and care you so much to let them breath with whom you may not participate in eating bread Are they not diuers from you in your rites contrary to you in your Religion great contemners of your gods and shall they liue Thus had cruelty wounded them and become their Conquerour if the feare of the Lord with a mild and gracious spirit distilling mercy and lenity had not softned their breasts and abated the edge of their more than humane fury refelling these seeming-sound positions with better grounded Principles that the Almighty had indeed transferred with his Attributes and titles his owne dignities and honors vpon earthly Monarchs and cursed is that soule which submits not to them Rom. 13.1 either doing what they enioyne or induring what they inflict for to resist their Rule though vniustly laid is iustly to procure your ruines to rebell against their will though wicked is causlesly at least indiscreetly and obstinatly to worke your owne woes for you warre against Heauens prouidence and prouoke the highest power of whom they are If then it be good which they bid yeeld all submissiue if indifferent all respectiue obedience and if it be euill which they enioyne though you must shunne the deed Act. 5.29.41 yet shew your duties and their due in submitting your selues to suffer patiently when they shall punish But for these Infants what haue they done When the Babe is crying for the dug as desiring to haue the life preserued shall it be done to death Doe as you would be done to How comfortable is a calme after a tempestuous storme but how great the griefe when the hope is frustrate and expectation faileth Are the Mothers pangs no sooner past but will you intercept their ioy nay renue their sorrow Health is despaired after a relapse hath surprised Thinke how much would be your mourning if you saw such murther Would not griefe gripe your hearts to see such cause of heauinesse They poore soules expected you as helpes and will you bee the instruments of their hurt Would you not iudge him cruell should lay so hard a charge against you or yours and them too bloudy should be Agents in such a butchery Thinke you to preserue your liues by their death or your posterity by massacres and to maintaine your Religion by murder Hell may indeed reioyce at the cruelty but the Heauens will reuenge that impious inhumanity and inhumane impiety Hath their God euen before your eyes redressed their wrongs and releeued their wants and will he not repay this wickednesse vpon you and yours what people euer preuailed against them or what policy did euer delude his prouidence Let your hearts neither harbour nor your hands execute this vnheard of Murder and then their God will prosper you in your estates and make your housholds like a slocke of sheepe Exod. 1. Iob feared God and suffered many sore bickerings with Satan Sinne brought in vpon him suffrings Suffrings vshered sorrowes Sorrowes surprised his soule with impatience which made him a burden vnto himselfe Iob. 7.20 whereupon begunne a grieuous combat continued with a dangerous conflict betweene his passion impatience and the feare of God Impatience entering the Lists brandished these weapons with most furious courage-danting countenance See Iob how thy wife which lyeth in thy bosome thy second selfe which should be thy comfort in thy crosses is the augmenter of thy calamity thy children round about thy table the hope of the continuing of thy name in after ages are swept away as the Spiders web and for thy friends will not thy tongue cleaue to the roofe of thy mouth thine eies be dim to behold them come to visit thee How strange is thy misery inflicted vpon thy body did euer eye behold the like Thy seeming sanctitie was assured sin for hast thou confirmed him that was falling and strengthned the knees of the weake Hath thy tongue dropped honie into the heauie brest and art thou as a man despairing of all hope either thy consolations to them were the flourishes of thy speech and had no affinitie with thy faith or thou art inconstant in thy confidence It is suspicious that the practise of that Physician is counterfet who admits of no such medicines as he hath ministred to others Thou hast perswaded others patience in their perplexities to lift vp their heads in the middest of their heauinesse yet now when thou art afflicted thou frettest thou hast ministred to others comforts in their calamities tribulation hath touched thee and thou art troubled thou hast aduised them cast Anchor during the continuance of their stormes and art thou so vnsetled that with the billow of euery waue thou art tossed They must account that blessing which thou now esteemest a bane they must accept that as a Plaister which thou deemest a plague else why dost thou curse the day of thy birth and the night of thy natiuitie wish the doore of thy mothers wombe shut and her brests by thee neuer sucked It was either euill that thou then exhortedst or thou now wicked that dost not now admit it Where is thy former righteousnesse whereof thou so much presumedst Remember I pray thee who euer perished being an innocent or where were the vpright destroied They that plow iniquitie and sow wickednes reape the same if thou hadst beene deuout thy deuices had not beene scattered Was it not thy conscience of sin which stopped thy mouth and made thee silent Whence is this that thy words are swallowed vp not from thy sinne Whence is it that the venome of the Almighties arrowes drinke vp thy spirits not from thy sinne whence is it that the terrors of God fight against thee not from thy sinne Those who did in thy prosperitie admire thee now mocke at thee they who hate thee open their mouthes vpon thee thine eies behold it and thou canst not helpe it thine eare heares it and thou canst not shun it euery sense is sorrowes subiect and thou canst not ease it Death is better than derision as appeares in Sampson and nothing more vnpleasing vnto Dauid than vnthankfulnesse yet thy brethren flie from thee thy acquaintance are strangers to thee neighbours forsake thee familiars haue forgotten thee thy friends for hony giue thee gall for comforts corasiues where before all diligence was yeelded thy desires are now denied where before thy command was answered with all cheerefull readinesse thy praiers cannot now preuaile Thy seruants speede is slacknesse Nay is not thy soule tormented that thy wife whose willingnesse should not
answer by being filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding Col. 1.9.10 So as we must not conceiue of feare whereof the Lord speaketh by Ieremy as though he meant the act For first in euery grace there is God conferring it vpon man mans reflexing at the gifts collation backe vpon God and then diffusing of it in the fruits among men Vnity in opinion one heart and concordancy in action one way hath relation of man to man and therefore is not the cause of that true feare which was infused first by God himselfe so as by feare there we are to vnderstand not abstractiuely as it is seuered but concretiuely as it is ioyned with degrees or circumstances and indeed sometimes the act is taken for the measure how farre it is extended somtimes for the extent of time to the which it reacheth and then it is as if the Lord had said I will giue them one heart and one way that it may bee manifest and made apparant to any that make question of it that they feare me in no little measure Besides hee speakes of the time for euer whereof vnitie is a great occasion For where a Church within it selfe by Schismes is disioynted the feare of God is greatly cooled and where the feare of God is cooled the continuance of that Church may bee iustly doubted Doe we then finde in our selues a desire and see we in others and our selues the practises of peace a striuing for vnity an embracing of concord Is there among vs agreement in opinion sympathy in affection concord in conuersation eclesiasticall oeconomicall politicall wee may assure our selues the feare of God abides among vs for we keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 which is one speciall part of our walking worthy of that calling wherunto in Christ we are called Now this worthy walking is begot by wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding Col. 1.9 10. Pro. 1.7 whereof the feare of God is the beginning The last note of Gods feare is equity which I may compare to Mandrakes the smell whereof is commended by the Spouse whereof there are two sorts Male and Female Cant. 7.13 Geneu transt The Mandrakes haue giuen a smell and in our gates are all sweet things new and old These are carried in either hand one of him that feares God which to euery sex euery state doth iustice not pittying the poore nor fauouring the rich not fearing the mighty nor neglecting the meane not vniustly helping his friend nor hurting his foe wherby his name is an oyntment powred out and delighteth the smell of them that come neere to sent it in the cōtinuance of their daies at their death They continue as the Palme-tree in the house of the Lord. Psal 37.37 Marke the vpright man and behold the iust the end of that man is peace It is no Thistle that beareth this Fig. What maketh Iudges execute iudgement the feare of God What maketh the great to keepe themselues free from oppression the feare of God What preserueth all men from iniurious dealing the feare of God But if that be wanting the reines are laid on the necke of euerie sinne and the spurre giuen to euerie iniurie what wrong is neglected what wickednesse is omitted what crueltie is vnacted if the feare of God bee not embraced Gen. 10.11 Abraham knew there was readinesse to act iniurie pronenesse to commit iniquity promptnesse to perpetrate all wrong where the feare of God was wanting for how can they deale faithfully with any who haue no feeling of the goodnesse or greatnesse of the Lord Thus for the liuing for the dead euen by workes of charity towards them may we know we feare the Lord so as whom the feare of God moued to honour liuing the same feare will prouoke vs to giue vnto him his due when hee is dead Act. 7. That Protomartyr died for the profession euen in professing of the truth such was the height and heate of that persecution such the frowardnesse and fury of the Persecutors so great it was against the Church at Ierusalem that they were all scattered abroad through the region of Iudea and Samaria And was there not one to interre this Martyrs body not one to couer it in the Graue not one to cast this seede in hope of resurrection into the earth If there were any who durst aduenture to doe it Saul made hauocke of the Church entred into not one but euery house and drew them out both men and women and put them in prison No place was vnsought no person vnsifted no age fauoured no sexe spared Did the hoare head of the ancient finde mercy no. Did the weeping eyes of bewailing women behold pitty no. Did the crying of little babes moue compassion no. Their goods were made a spoile to the rauenous their bodies were vsed as a prey by the malicious their honourable credits and neuer dying names were as Tennis-balls ignominiously tossed in the mouthes of the opprobrious How was their hope weakned their faith shaken their spirits troubled and they themselues eternally endangered Act. 22.4 seeing he persecuted this way euen vnto death The malice of one might by many haue beene preuented and many would haue receiued mutuall encouragement and might haue performed mutuall duties of their profession if one onely had persecuted but alas this way was contemned by the people hated by the Priests condemned by all The people would speedily report what they either perceiued in or saw done by any which inclined to it the Priests instantly presse the punishing of what they heard and the Rulers were as ready to giue sentence of scourging ver 5. if not death Who then durst endanger their estates hazard their liues and interre Stephen There were men Act. 8.2 not meerely men but men deuout fearing God which carried him to his buriall and made great lamentation ouer him their reuerent deuotion cast out all doubt of death or danger and wrought in them a respect of that body whose Spirit was with the Lord to whom it was commended Act. 7.59 And surely if it worke such regard of the liuelesse corps of a Saint what care will it not worke in men for the good and right of his left and liuing Image and of euery one to whom his speciall loue and care was linked For is it not a desperate presumption in the seruant whom hopefull feare should make obedient to neglect that which his Master hath not onely laid before him by patterne but laid vpon him by precept Destitute of reuerent deuotion is that man who seeing his glorious Creator continuing his mercies to the childrens children of them that feare him and hearing his gracious Redeemer giue a charge in giuing vp the ghost for the good of her that was deare vnto him takes no care for the posterity of those who were interest in their Creators mercies and their Redeemers merits And these
see how neerely they are in them conioyned if we obserue their mutuall 1. Excellency 2. Dignity 3. Validitie Their Excellency appeareth to bee the same in that God hath indifferently made knowne himselfe as it were by name by either of them Wee iustly make account of the name especially if it bee giuen of purpose not by peraduenture for the better finding out of the nature of that whereunto it is giuen and if Embassadors receiue their respect according to the Maiestie of their Master whom they present how shall we not esteeme of the excellency of both Loue and Feare seeing the Lord himselfe who did all things gaue euen names in number weight and measure in his sacred Word where euery one may and ought to reade his pleasure will haue vs to conceiue himselfe sometimes when Feare is mentioned and other somtimes when Loue is repeated Iacob cals him the Feare of his father Isack and Iohn which lay on Christs bosome that beloued Disciple cals him Loue. 1 Iohn 4. Can a Christian heare himselfe called in the Scriptures by the name of King and not conceiue of what repute he is of through Christ in the eies of God Can any heare the names of Feare and Loue to be transferred to the Lord himselfe and not confesse the excellency the mutuall excellency of either For he bearing their name they must needes partake of his nature Their mutuall dignity is as manifest for these two comprehend all what man can performe to God or which God requireth of man For our Sauiour for the accomplishing of the Commandements calls for nothing but Loue whereupon Paul saith Loue is the fulfilling of the law Gal. 6.2 and Salomon who had too much experience of falling from God hauing testified his distast of his too much tasted vanities affirmeth that the end of all which any can perswade aduise or presse is to Feare and to keepe the Commandements Eccles 12. and he giueth the reason for that is the whole duty of man Surely our blessed Sauiour and his elect vessell extolling Loue include feare or they contradict Salomon and Salomon in his Feare and keeping the Commandements implied Loue or hee gainsaied our Sauiour and his Apostle But they all speaking by the same spirit affirme the same thing For nothing but these two which giue life and lustre vnto euery duty besides and therefore ioyned sometimes with one sometimes with another are aboue other yet indifferently required And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare and loue him Deut. 10.12 Whereby we may obserue these to be all are expected by him accepted of him Shewing in his expectation what are to be performed to him by vs as our duties intimating in his acceptation how greatly he delights in these graces and in both manifesting what is in his estimation the dignity of them either of which indeed were of no worth if they were not both permanent But now the Validity of either is such Cant. 8. that as much water cannot quench loue nor the flouds drowne it so many troubles cannot ouerturne Feare Iob 15.15 nor calamity conquer it Cant. 8.7 Loue is not to bee drawne by force for it is strong as death Feare not to be vnited by flattery for it is suspicious of danger Gen. 20.20 Loue is not to be perswaded from God by any power hauing fully tasted of his fauour Feare is not to bee enforced from the Lord by any terror Psal 34.8 hauing drunke deepely of the cup of his power Dan. 3.17 18. Ier. 32.40 That heart wherein the Lord hath put his feare departs not from him and that soule which hath yeelded to his loue will not leaue him Feare looking on the promises and the power of him that made them groweth vp to the perfection of full holinesse till it be indued with it 2 Cor. 7.1 and loue wanting full fruition of prepared ioyes aspireth to perfect happinesse till it be inuested in it Neither of them ceasing before they be made partakers of their expectations Thus then they agree in their Commander Causes Subiects Acts Effects Opposites and Conditions of mutuall Excellency Dignity and Validity And therefore aswell the one as other to bee harboured in euery Christians heart 1 Iohn 4.18 But perfect loue driueth out feare It is true one poison preuaileth against another Aug. ser 13. de Verb Apost Timor servus est Charitas libera est two contraries cannot subsist together in one subiect in the same measure of contrariety and looke how much soeuer is the power of a sonne-like loue so much lesse is the strength of a slauish feare where loue hath apprehended the firmnesse 1 Iohn 4.17 of Gods fauour there is no doubting of his helpe in the time of danger no want of boldnesse in the day of iudgement That loue then which the Lord accepteth as perfect casteth out that Feare which he reiecteth as faithlesse That loue which striueth in expectation of prepared pleasures to perfection banisheth that feare which laboureth in apprehension of allotted iudgements with painfulnesse as plunged in the gulfe of despaire To feare him then not as a Iudge that will condemne but as a Iudge that will discharge vs is that feare which loue is so farre from driuing out that it liketh it liking it loueth it louing it cannot liue without it Psal 2.11 Serue the Lord with feare and reioyce before him with trembling is the exhortation of Dauid where loue is not harboured ioy cannot be expressed as then there must not be seruing without feare so neither must there be trembling without loue for there is no seruice acceptable which wanteth reuerence nor reuerence commendable which is rendred without affection And as one well saith Hugo de S.V. de instit nouit c. 5. Reuerentia sine amore magis seruilis amor sine reuerentia puerilis iudicari debet Reuerence without loue is too slauish and loue without reuerence is too childish if there be loue and not feare it answereth not the Lords worth if there be feare and not loue it argueth the greatnesse of our vnwillingnesse Psal 5.7 and therefore what the Prophet Dauid had exhorted others hee resolueth and promiseth that he himselfe will practise I will come saith he into thine house O Lord in the multitude of thy mercy and in thy feare will I worship toward thy holy Temple Mercy moueth him out of loue to come and feare maketh him in reuerence to continue loue draweth him to the duty and feare directeth him in his deuotion Such is the efficacy and dignity end and vse of them where they are vnited that this louing feare and fearing loue is the way by which God walketh vnto man and the Ladder by which man climeth vnto God They humble God but exalt man bring God downe below and lift man on high Joh. 14.23 for that heart where loue is harboured will hee inhabit and that spirit which in feare of his displeasure is bruised will he visit Esa 57.15 For by them are the fetters of sin loosed from our feet the manicles of iniquity taken from our hands the caule of hardnesse remoued from our hearts and the some of calumnious blasphemy blasphemous calumny wiped from our mouthes for Loue softneth as the Goats bloud the adamantine Feare breaketh as the hammer the stony heart Loue looseth the spirits as the hot Sunne the frozen Fountaine and sendeth out flouds of teares Feare maketh man as the fire the hardest mettals pliable to euery truth Loue and Feare vnited in one soule dissolue there the cursed workes of the Deuill and kindle the fire of true deuotion and therefore not to be seuered because the Lord is both iust and mercifull mercifull and iust Fulg. l. 1. de rem pecc ad Fabiol mans 23. Let all men therefore entertaine these deere and inseparable associates Let the wicked learne to feare and loue the Lord for his iustice and mercy that being conuerted they may misse of that punishment which his iustice hath threatned and receiue that pardon which his mercy hath promised Let the good loue and feare him for his mercy and iustice that being preuented by his mercy through loue of it they may continue in good workes and in Feare of his iustice keepe themselues carefully from sinfull waies Let the wicked thinke of his mercy lest too much swallowing of his iustice they forget his fauour and be denoured by sinne through desperation Let the good feare his iustce lest too much swilling his mercy they neglect his anger and bee seduced by Satan to presumption Let all men both loue and feare him feare and loue him that his Angels may pitch their tents round about them his Spirit in all their waies direct them himselfe take them while they remaine here vnto his protection and hereafter in his due time translate them to an immortall Crowne of glory which hee giue vnto all vs and euery one that are his for his sake who hath so dearely bought vs Iesus Christ the righteous Amen Amen FINIS