to each other by kinde entreating of their Ambassadours Judge thy selfe if thou hast been formerly fearfull jealous watchfull but now art growne heedlesse bold ventrous yea not only lesse fearing occasions of sin but also more delighting in them it is a sure sign that the temper of thy spirit is corrupted thou art growne worse 2. The law of God is lesse loved there are two branches of the law precepts The law lesse loved and prohibitions and our natures will more easily imbrace the one than the other we many times are content to doe much if the law require this or that we yeeld and consent to it but to be limitted and barred is most distastefull when men love their sins though they like not the law prohibiting those sins And looke into your selves for so strangely doe the regenerate sometimes degenerate that sometimes it is a displeasing thing that there should bee any law to crosse and thwart their desires and lusts yea to be angry with them that hold this law unto them so good Asah was overtaken 2 Chron. 16. the Seer struck at his sin with this sword of the spirit Asah stands up in defence of his sin and smites the Seer oh how far may the heart goe out from God what a thing is this that a renewed man should so farre decline as to love that which God hates and so to love it as to reject God to harbour it and to say in his heart oh that there were no bonds that I might be free oh that I had my will then would I repeale that law and returne to sin Lesse prayer against sin yet this is sometimes found but it is a signe of a man much estranged from the life of God 3. His prayer will be lesse against his sin that which we hate is our burthen and so far as the soule hates it it desires to be freed from it m Est intentio odii no cere nec cessat in laesione peccati sed in exterminio Gul. Paris de Rhet. Divin c. 23. Vere poenitens est Iuratus in mortem peccatorum ib. See how the Apostle cryeth out as a man tyred with the chaines of a grievous bondage Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7. Yea and when hee felt his sinne stirring hee prayes and prayes and prayes againe to heaven for help 2 Cor. 12. There is a praying against sin while yet the heart is towards it but it is fearefull mockery of that Majesty to whom wee pray it may be a mans case that the power of conscience may enforce and extort prayer for subduing of sin and yet the power of sin may be such that it may hold the heart in the love of it But if you slacke in the sincerity and fervency of your prayers for mortifying grace you have abated in hatred of sin In the next place comes griefe for sin a grief rising and springing from the bowells of love to God this is a speciall grace which as it is from God so it is honoured with the promise of Gods presence For thus saith the high and loftie one that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and an humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Isay 57.15 As when the streames are shallower it hath lesse of the fountaine so the lesse godly sorrow the lesse of God u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proverb graec when a man is not so frequent in humbling his soule nor so full of griefe when sins wounds are not so grievous as they have been he hath no cause to 〈◊〉 downe and lament his case for God is departed in a great measure from him CHAP. XII The second rule to judge of Desertion is taken from the increase of sinne where how the increase of sinne may be knowne THe second rule to guide in the judgment of this matter whether a may be deserted or not is the consideration of his sinnes where sin is increased there is lesse of God sin is contrary to godlinesse and the nature of all contraries is that the intention and increase of the one is the remission and decrease of the other as in the ayre when there is most darknesse then there is leas◠light when the spirit of holinesse is present in his powerfull working then the power of sin is weakned but when he withdrawes his influence then sinne breakes out as when the Sun sets then the beasts that lay before lurking in their dennes come forth with roarings and howlings for their prey and as when the King is gone out of his kingdome then the trayterous rebells who before concealed themselves rise up in armes to work their wils And it must needs be that upon Gods departure and his ceasing the acts and operations of his power in the soule When God departs sin increaseth that sin must revive and returne upon a man with a renewed strength and prevaile much For 1. First Satan is vigilant For 1. Satan takes the opportunity and takes his time to doe all the mischief that he can when God leaves a man he seekes to make a re-entry as theeves break open houses and pill and spoyle in the absence of the master And indeed when God thus leaves the soule there is not a meere Desertion onely but a tradition also of a man into the hands of Sathan God permitting him to deale with the soule in a sort as with Iobs body to lay his hand on them to spoyle them to smite them with many soares and though he cannot slay them yet he may much hurt them so that they come out of his hands as the man in the Gospell that fell among theeves and was robbed and wounded and left half dead Luke 10.30 2. Sinne is potent Sinne is a potent thing it hath indeed many things against it but more for it and onely God above it so that if God cease to watch and keepe the heart in his way and to keep down this monster it will be stirring Take a short view of the power o◠sin It is compared to an husband which overcomes by kindnesse to a Lord which prevailes by power yea it is compared to the things of the greatest power it is called a Conquerour leading all in captivity a tyrant holding all in bondage a King holding all in subjectiō and draw near and see the strength of it Consider the City that she is mured in it is man an active creature and as fire is more fierce in gunpowder that in wood and rebellion stronger in a generall than in a peasant so sin is stronger for the subject of it hence it come that the devils exceed man in wickednesse because their natures are more active and more potent sin also is in the whole man therefore as fire that hath hold in every
measure himselfe to day and a week hence measure againe his growth though it be reall will be imperceptible when you compare your selves with your selves if you finde no growth then look upon your selves at a greater distance if you cannot discerne growth by comparing your selves with your selves the last yeare then see what you were two yeares or three yeares or seaven yeares past and now tell mee if you find not your selves better if no◠sensibly increased in the bulke yet a least in maturity and spiritualnesse of your graces 4 Growth is not alway equall Growth not alwayes equall as in nature a childe shootes up sometimes more in one yeare then afterward in two or three yeares so grace groweth not so fast some times as at other times◠as in nature diseases wounds obstructions ill dyet c. may keep downe so the soule by distempers fals ill dyet c. may bee hindred in her spirituall growth But a man must take heed of concluding in such Cases that God hath deserted him For as I have said before it is not every fit of unproficiency which argueth a man in such a state Yea all things considered it may be though the growth in times past doe exceed the present growth yet a man considering the abatement of meanes of growth with other strong impediments of growth a man may have as full a presence of God with him though he for a time grow not as he did Be not therefore hasty in passing sentence For as many through slacknesse and slownesse to judgement of themselves are declined but know it not so many by hastinesse in judgement conclude they are deserted when they are not CHAP. XXXIII The second sort of spirituall desertions losse of comfort NOw I come to the other head of spirituall desertions the eclipsing of the comfort of the soule this is oftentimes the sad case of the Saints the sons of peace and consolation are often men of sorrows cast from a Paradise of comfort into a wildernesse of discomfort wandring in a maze of perplexed thoughts heavy cares afflicting feares bitter sorrows and vexed with roarings and yellings of devouring beasts yea rent and wounded and almost becoming a prey unto them Before I come to treate of this mournfull state First the nature of comfort in which the sweete streames of comfort faile leaving the soule as a parched heath I must premise some considerations about the comfort of the soule 1 The nature of it 2 The cause of it 3 The desectibility of it First of the nature of it It is a chearelinesse of soule It is a chearelinesse or satisfaction of the soule the name sheweth the thing Comfort is from a word a Consortari which importeth strength and what is comfort but strengthening of the heart and it is expressed by strengthening in the Scriptures Psal 27.14 Psal 52.7 Psal 104.15 1 Sam. 23.16 Iob 4.4 Esay 35.3 and discomfort is the enfeebling of weakning of the soule so that it cannot walk in its way but fals and faints But comfort keepes her upon the wing and maintaines yea increaseth her strength it is the life of the soule So when Naomi would expresse that Boaz should be a comfort to Ruth she saith He shall be the restorer of thy life Ruth 4.15 For take away the contentment of the heart and it dyeth the damned live in hell yet because it is a life without comfort they are said to dye and their estate is reckoned a state of death They are dead while they live hence David calleth it quickning Psal 119.50 Thy Word hath quickned me and ver 93. restoring of comfort to mourners is called reviving I dwell with c. to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Esay 57.15 So it is said of Iacob when he heard of his Son and saw the wagons which he had sent The Spirit of Jacob their father revived Gen. 45.27 Those words of Ezra are not unlike Grace hath been shewed c. that our God may lighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our bondage Ezra 8.8 9. Comfort in a word Of A strength of soule is that strength and life which the object contributeth to the heart there is then a difference of comfort according to the difference of objects Every good thing which a man hath either in expectatiō or possession yeelds a comfort proportionable to its worth and a mans propriety in it all good things in the world are as the fence of the soule or her fort against invasions of feare care trouble misery so that as he that hath the best guard strong and able souldiers is strongest and safest so the heart is so much strengthened as it hath of good Then the best things yeeld the best comfort as the freest fountaine yeelds the fullest streames But for as much as not only the property of the object but the propriety also is the measure of comfort therefore according to the degrees of enjoyment of God so are the degrees of comfort those in heaven being fully possessed of God have a fulnesse of comfort In thy presence is fulnesse of joy Psal 16.11 But the Saints in the world have but an imperfect comfort 1 Not stable sometimes it is gone and a day of gladnesse is turned into a night of heavinesse so that they complaine as the Church The joy of our heart is ceased our daunce is turned into mourning Lament 5.15 2 Not full it is mixed with various feares and sorrows which like waters of Marah flow into the soule For though the object of comfort be sufficient yet the assurance and enjoyment of it is deficient so that as the soule is comforted because it hath God in a measure so it is troubled because it wants still not being so sure and full of him as it desires There are three degrees of spirituall comfort Three degrees of comfort 1 Peace 1. Peace when a man agreeth with himselfe and is freed from that war and combustion which was within him by incursion of feares and terrors of soul This is a rest in the soule a rest I say but not from motion but from commmotion and tumult an uncomfortable state is a tumultuous state My bowels boyled and rested not Job 30.27 hee was like the Sea moving and working it is a tempestuous condition Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted Esay 54.11 Comfort is the laying of the storme the hushing of the winds the stilling of the raging Sea When a man hath comfort in God he hath a twofold rest 1 Mentall While God is hid the minde is agitated and rolls to and fro to seek him hunting and beating it self out in running after him but when it seeth him then it is quieted and saith as David Returne to thy rest oh my soul c. Psal 42.7 2 Cordiall The heart sits in heavinesse till it recover what it hath lost unquietnesse abides
words are a strong expression of his deare and faithfull affection the mothers affections are deare and tender so are mine the mother loves her childe because it is the fruit of her wombe I also have begotten thee and thou art my childe the mother is most tender to the sucking childe which cannot help it selfe if it cry she cannot hold you also are such before me the mother may possibly forget but I will not you are alwayes in my eye and if I cannot forget my selfe I cannot forget you for you are engraven and imprinted in my hand Thus God hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon his afflicted Esay 49.13 He comforteth those that are cast downe 2 Cor. 7.6 When the heart mournes much God will shew himselfe For 1. the end of sorrow is not to afflict but to profit not to cast downe only The end of sorrow is not affliction but healing but also to raise up when God casteth sorrows upon the wicked his end is to afflict and to punish and their sorrows doe attain their end when they lye like loads oppressing their spirits but that which is a curse to them is a cure to the godly their mourning is but sowing in teares to reap injoy sorrow in the spirits of such is like the raine upon the grasse it puts the soule into a flourish it makes it yeelding and tractable as wax when it is softned wil easily receive impressions and metals dissolved are apt to be drawn out and to be moulded as you would have them Sorrow is better than laughter for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better Eccles 7.3 the sad lookes of others hath a naturall force to work seriousnesse and consideration in us much more when our owne hearts are full Ahab himselfe would do much in a pensive fit and Manasseh his monstrous spirit was tamed by sorrow God brought upon him the Assyrian and hee bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon and when he was in affliction hee besought the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed unto him 2 Chron. 33.11 12. You see the sweet fruit of this bitter roote and what was the issue God was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him again to Hierusalem into his kingdome ver 13. 2 The greater sorrow It makes a fit object of mercy the fitter object of mercy mercy is for the miserable and none more miserable then such as mourne in the losse of communion with God this wound is the deepest and most bleeding of all wounds the soule in such a case hath no help in all the world all things yeeld not more then a drop of water upon Dives his tongue Look now upon the nature of God and you shall see him full of mercy upon the promises they also are full of mercy upon the wayes of God they also are full of mercy therefore if you clothe your selves with the garments of heavinesse and can come before God with spirits much lamenting after him he will appeare to you Hee will revive the spirit of the humble q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Esay 57.15 3 Much sorrow will put upon strong pursuites after God it will make you full and strong in prayers and the power of prayer is great with God it makes the soule to run to Christ and to improve all the hope and faith and interest that it hath in him and they that seeke the Father in the Son shall finde him 4 Now God will be welcome when the soule is bitten with his absence God leaves his people because they slight him but when they have learned to prize him now he will come no place fits him but the highest and now God is lift up when the heart in the presence of all things which were delightfull and precious pines after him love is seene in sorrow we grieve much in the losse of that we love much 2. Then sorow prevailes with God Secondly when it is ingenuous when it is ingenuous 1. When for the cause not losse onely When not onely for the losse but for the cause when you can mourne not onely that you are Deserted but because you have sinned when you can grieve much that you have procured this evill 2. When not onely for sadnesse but also for the sinfulnesse of the losse When your sorrow is not onely because of the misery of such a state but also for the sinfulnesse there must needs be many feares and great anxieties in such a soule as seeth it selfe left of God but a holy heart will grieve for this not onely that it is fallen into such misery but also and especially that sinne hath regained strength that the life and lustre of holinesse is so weakened Grace hath a great beauty in the eye of him that hath it r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. orat 5.6 and sinne carrieth in it the greatest deformity and misery unto him so that such a one mindes not so much his ease as his cure yea his heart is carried in such strong desires after God that it overlookes its suffering weeping is no burthen and so that he might recover his losse though it come through a storme of feares cares griefes he would count himselfe happy another man who hath no greater thing to feare or desire then hell and heaven dwells upon his feares when he is affraid and is held in them and if he could be delivered from his feares he would be at rest but a godly man though he feele his troubles yet would he not count his case happier if these stormes were downe but he will mourne still till he be restored to his former life in God David was not satisfied till a new heart was created in him and a right spirit renewed Psal 51.10 11. 3. When not for losse of comfort onely but of God also When not onely for the losse of the comfort and sweetnesse in a holy converse with God but for the losse of God himselfe a child hath much comfort and reliefe from his father but when his father is gone he doth not onely lament his losse of comfort but his losse of his father so the wife more laments the losse of her husband then of her good by him when a man seeth what he hath lost he cannot but mourn to think what daies he had when he lived under the wing of his gracious father but yet all the comforts that ever he had or hoped for doe not lye so heavy as God himselfe For to a godly man all comforts and graces and all good that he receiveth doth serve to lead his heart to and to fixe it in God God hath his end here for he sends out these but as Ioseph sent Chariots to bring his father and brethren to him all these things are but conveyances and servants employed betwixt God and his people to invite and draw their
neither destroy thee c. Deut. 4.29 30 31. Take then the counsell of the Prophet which he gave to Israel when God was departed from them Oh Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips Hos 14.1 2. That you may finde the like favour and God may do for you as hee promised to them I will heale their back slidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive tree and his smell as Lebanon c. ver 5 6. When Ephraim repented and mourned God pittied him I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke turne thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God c. Is Ephraim my deare Son is he a pleasant childe for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Jer. 31.18 19 20. You see then what encouragement you have to seek in this way for peace with God and for the quicknings of his Spirit which you have lost sin armes God against you but he cannot hold back mercy from the humble his promise hath given repentance a power to prevaile with him and he will not contend with the broken hearted hee hath a speciall eye upon mourners and will not hide himselfe from the cry of the afflicted a contrite heart is a sacrifice which he will accept Psal 51. He is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit Psal 34.18 The father z Quit ille nobis intelligen lus pater Deus scilicet Tam pater nemo tam pius nemo Is ergo te filium suum etsi acceptīe ab eo prodegeris etsi nudus redieris recipiet quia redisti Tertul de poenitent Patris cibus est salus nostra Beda Ambr. in Luc. 15. of the Prodigall made hast to receive and welcome his straying son and rejoyced that hee that was lost was found again and that he that was dead was alive againe Luke 15. this is the way walk in it if God should deny such he should deny himselfe because he hath said though he hath been Sorely displeased turne you unto me and I will turn to you Zach. 1.2 3. Till you repent your sin is continued and conse quently Gods displeasure Therefore consider seriously of your case for want of serious thoughts doth great hurt so that though the heart bee affected yet not enough it seeth often that all is not well and knoweth the cause yet because these things lye not upon the spirit by ponderous thoughts a man beares his misery happily complaining but not wisely and strongly endeavouring to remove it And the heart is not soone brought downe you must hold up the objects of spirituall griefe by consideration that they may be able to beare downe the heart therefore be much in pondering these two things 1 The sad effects of the losse of God see what blindnesse barrennesse weaknesse depravednesse vanity feares accusations of heart what cryes and clamours in your soules and now what if afflictions come how will you be able to live in such a time other then a dying and a feareful life what if death come either a black cloud of darknesse will over-spread you or a storme of affrightments and terrors will torment you and now remember your sinne hath brought all this upon you 2 The sinfulnesse of the cause why did you neglect and despise your God if you had not set him shamefully at a low rate you would not have turned your back upon him what Could not the infinite Majestie and mercy of the Father the incomprehensible love of the Son the unutterable comforts of the holy Ghost prevaile with you Do you see what you have done have you not said to the Father I neither fear thy Majesty nor desire thy mercy and to the Son I care not for all thy love nor yet for thee that dyedst for me and to the holy Ghost I regard not all thy saving counsels living influences and high refreshments doe you not heare these pleading with you each for himselfe and each for all they are one and what you have done in this you have done against each and against all weigh well then what your carelesnesse and disobedience amounts to that you may meet him with an humbled spirit drenched in teares and clothed with shame put case now that God should requite you in your kinde and that his heart should not be towards you then you might bid peace yea life yea hope adieu for ever Consider further how God did follow you and entreated you not to goe from him did he not tell you he could not beare contempts and that you would repent it at last and will see that what you have done against him you have done against your selves did he not kindly use you and were you not alwayes welcome to him Oh my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me Mich. 6.3 and when you were going did he not cry after thee Returne thou back sliding Israel and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am mercifull and I will not keep anger for ever Jer. 3.12 Yet you would not Consider now how long you have lived without him and how often God hath called upon you to consider your waies if you will let your thoughts out you will finde abundant cause of griefe and when you seek him with repētance you will finde him in mercy drawing neare and he will forget your unkindnesse and you shall heare no more of them doubtlesse your sinnes this way are very great so that sometimes God hath been put as it were to a stand what course to take when God had promised mercy to his revolting people he addes But I said how shall I put thee among the children and give thee a pleasant land and I said thou shalt call me my father and shalt not turne away from me Jer. 3.19 When the Church had been disloyall she at last fell to this course of repentance and see the issue A voice was heard upon the high places weeping and supplications of the children of Israel for they have perverted their wayes and they have forgotten the Lord their God returne ye backsliding children and I will heale your backslidings ver 21. and oh that you also would tread in their steps and say We come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God ver 22. CHAP. XXIX Two other
a death in him we trust that he will yet deliver us 2. Cor. 1.10 4. It workes more closing with Christ the death of comfort occasions a greater life and strength towards Christ both in desire of him and dependance upon him and for this cause God shakes the soule with earthquakes that it may stand faster upon its true basis and foundation that which at first brings the soule to Christ is his worth and our need and the more wee see our selves necessitous the more our hearts gather in to Christ the soule must have some rest and if it finde none within nor without it is carried to Christ as Noahs Dove to the Arke That which is the first coard to draw to him hath also a strength to bind to him therefore God gives his people sad visions of sin and wrath that by being shaken they may roote themselves more in Christ this was Gods great â—ime to set up his Son as the hope and helpe of his people and as that glorious meanes by which hee may diffuse the beames of his mercy and love upon men and hee loves to see the Saints advancing him by flying to him and abiding in him And the more they goe forth to Christ and seeke the Father in the Son the more they are blessed Christ is the rock of the Saints and when they are knit to it they stand fast the nearer they are to Christ the nearer are they to all happinesse God will not looke friendly upon the soule but through Christ he will not poure out the spirit of comfort but through him and as comfort comes by comming so the oftner the soule comes and the more it converseth with Christ and resteth on him the more comfort it will finde at last Christ will tell you many secrets and open his fathers bosome to you when you stick close to him And this advantage comes by desertions that the soule is so frighted with those stormes which it met with that it is afraid to bee any more out of its harbour but seekes to dwell under the wing of Christ and to keepe closer to him than ever it did before and so this affliction brings forth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse in them which are exercised thereby Heb. 12.11 Cause 4 4. Cause The correcting and healing of some evill in his people He doth it for their profit that they may be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12.10 There are many things in the Saints which are very repugnant to that filiall state in which they are set by grace and it is no wonder if God take such courses wherein he seemes not to bee a father to them that are not as children to him I will instance in some particular evils which God will not beare with but doth visit in his people with this and other rods 1. Deadnesse and dulnesse of heart Sometimes living men are in a livelesse state their hearts are so benummed that they seeme to lye among the dead the former vigor and activity of their graces is gone and they are become barren and unfruitfull now as in a lethargie or apoplexie Physitians use strong and sharpe medicines so God casts the soule into a feaver to get off this stupidity and hangs their soules over the mouth of hell and makes them to drink of that cup of red Wine the dregs whereof the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drinke Ps 75.8 that by this strong potion he may quicken their dull and sleepie spirits Deadnesse is such a state in which a man is neither receptive nor active neither fit to receive good nor to do good and such a case is not tolerable for in this Gods ends are stopped for he calleth out his people to be vessels to receive mercy to hold forth his name but he can doe neither that is dead Nature it selfe loves not a dead thing it is both unusefull and uncomely for where life faileth there is corruption as in the body a mortified member doth putrifie and not onely it selfe but others therefore as a man useth all meanes to recover the life and spirits in his body so God doth with his people David lay in a slumbering drousinesse a long time but at last when he lay like Ionah sleeping by the sides of the ship hee sent a storme into his soule to awake him then he revives like another man 2. Fearelesnesse of God this is a temper to which the Saints are apt to grow as Children are wont to grow sawcy and presumptuously malepert and irreverent till the fathers frowne and majesticke austerenesse take down their spirit God will not be carelesly dealt with though he allow us confidence and holy boldnesse in approach to him and converse with him yet he expects a due sense of his Majestie and greatnesse Let us have grace whereby we may serve God with reverence and godly feare for our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 29. Though he be a father yet he is a terrible an holy and an Almighty God And therefore to correct the sinfull boldnesse of his people and to cause them to stand in awe of him hee sometimes shuts in his favour and keeps state by concealing himselfe as the Persian Kings shunned familiaritie and were seldome seene that they might be more a Persona Regis sub specie majestatis occulitur Iust l. 1. honoured The feare of God is one of the maine pillars of his throne and so farre as he is not our feare he is not our God therefore he hath ever shewed himselfe in his power and greatnesse unto men when he came to give the Law hee came in great Majesty with fire blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and the sound of a Trumpet c. and so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake Heb. 12.18 19 21. yea and in the Gospell it was foretold that God would shew wonders in Heaven above and signes in the earth beneath blood fire and vapour of smoake the Sun shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come Ioel. 2.31 Rom. 10.13 Acts 2.19 20 21. When he came to publish peace to the Gentiles hee came with great terror in judgement upon the Jewes and struck off the branch naturall that the Gentiles might not be high minded but feare Rom. 11.20 And in particular persons he so workes by intermixtures of frownes and favours majesty and mercy that they may learne to walke as those Churches did In the feare of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 It is not a servile seare or a feare of discouragement which God expects but a feare of reverence a feare intermixed and tempered with love there is a great difference in feares a man feares a beast and runs from him a man feares an enemie but hates him but a child feares his Father and loves him yea therefore hee feares because hee loves they shall feare the