beeing once setled in your hearts considering how excellent a thing it is in the iudgement of the holy Ghost 2 Concerning the blessings which God hath promised to those that feare him they are so great that greater cannot he For what is it brethren that your heartes would or can wish or desire would yee be deliuered from all such enimies at home or abroad as do secke by subtiltie or crueltie to bereaue you of life of libertie of the truth yea and of God himselfe Then Feare the Lord saith the spirite and he will deliuer you out of the hands of your enimies 2. Reg. 17.39 Would yee haue your posteritie that they shall stand vp in your place successiuely to encrease and prosper Feare the Lord saith the holy ghost and it shall go well with you and with your children after you for evermore Deut. 5.29 would yee be strong against all assaultes of our spirituall enimies Feare the Lord and yee shall be so For as Salomon saith In the feare of the Lord is assurednesse of strength Prouerb 14. and the 26. verse Againe would yee be out of doubt which is the right and true waie among so great diuersitie of opinions as are now in the world Feare the Lorde and he vvill teach you in the vvaie that ye shall choose yea the secretes of the Lorde shall be among you if yee feare him and he vvill shevv you his couenant Psal 25.11.13 To conclude will yee be blessed that is to say in a state perfited with a gathering togither of all good thinges Feare God and yee shall be so For as Dauid saith Blessed are they that feare the Lord. Psal 112.1 For all this the greatest part of the world regard not to feare the Lord but haue their hearts filled with contempt of him whereof to consider the causes and remedies is verie needfull that we may take heed and giue obedience to this precept of S. Peter 1 One cause then why men feare not the Lord is the want of teaching and hearing the word of God by which as by an instrument sanctified to that purpose the Lorde distilleth his feare into the heartes of men This may be gathered out of Deut. 31. where Moses giuing charge to Iosua concerning the reading of the Law in the eares of the whole congregation of Israel sheweth also wherefore it was to be done namely that they might learne to feare the Lord their God vers 12.13 If then the publishing of the word be the meanes to learne men the feare of the Lord it must needs be that the want of this blessing is a reason why manie are destitute of the true feare of God For remedie wherof none other way can be found than for the minister diligently to teach and the people as diligently to heare the word of the Lord. 2 A second reason why men feare not the Lord is because their hearts are possessed with a strong imagination that it is in vaine to feare God This cause of mens not fearing the Lord the Prophet Malachie declareth Chapt. 3. for hauing spoken of certaine which feared not the Lord vers 5. he doth afterward shew their reason that perswaded them to set the Lord at naught and to giue out stoure words against him which was because in their corrupt iudgement it was in vaine to serue God and it was no profite to them that they walked humblie before the Lord of hostes vers 14. Against this pestilent perswasion which leadeth manie now adayes to the contempt of God a remedie of soueraigne effect is the consideration of those promises before propounded to them that feare the Lord which will be then more effectuall when we set before our selues in our minds as on a theatre or stage the persons of many that feared the Lord as of Abraham Ieseph Moses Dauid c. enioying part of these promises in this life and now fully possessed of the rest in the kingdome of God 3 A third matter where upon many take occasion to neglect cast away the feare of God is a grosse conceit of the nature of God inducing them to thinke that the Lord seeth not what men do in the earth and that they may do what they will for him After this sort the wicked in Iobs time surmised that God vvas so hidden vvith the darke cloudes that he could not iudge thorough them and therefore they despised him And so the vngodly in the dayes of David spake fiercely and the vvorkers of iniquitie vaunted themselues against God and all was vpon this perswasion That the Lord did not see it the God of Iacob did not marke it Psal 94. Against this enchantment that it may not preuaile in mens hearts to leade them away from the feare of God it helpeth much to consider that nothing is hid from the eyes of God Heb. 4. that he searcheth all heartes and vnderstandeth all the thoughts of the minde 2. Chron. 28.9 that it is a brutish follie to thinke that he vvhich planted the care should not heare and he vvhich formed the eye should not see Psal 94. which consideration if it be deepely imprinted in our minds it will make vs to see that the darke cloudes are no hinderance to the Lord but that he beholdeth all things even the verie purposes of the heart and therefore is the more to be feared 1. King the eight chapter and 39. 4 A fourth reason why men regard not the feare of God is because they see themselues others who are with out al true reuerence of the almightie to prosper well enough in the world whilest they that fear the Lord endure and passe through many aduersities troubles This reason of the wickeds contempt of God the prophet Dauid saw acknowledged Psa 73. For why as he saith because the vvicked come not in trouble neither are plauged vvith other men because there are no bandes in their death but they are lusty and strong therefore they glorie in their pride as in a golden chaine they talke presumptuously and they set their mouth against heaven That is to say they speake in defiance of God him selfe In like maner he saith of the vngodlie Psalm 55.19 that Because they have no changes therefore they feare not God To expell which poisoned conceits out of mens hearts there is not anie more conuenient remedie than to marke the vvaie of the vvorld vvherin vvicked men vvhich saie vnto God depart from vs haue vvalked and how they haue ben cut downe before their time vvhose foundation vvas as ariuer that ouerflovved Iob. 22. To consider with Dauid that the Lord hath set such wicked ones in slipperie places that the conceit which they haue of their prosperous estate is no better then the fansie of a dreaming man who in his sleepe imagineth himselfe and other to bee riche and in good case but when he a waketh he findeth it nothing so Psal 73. Briefly to consider that the lesse trouble they sustain here the more torment
take thin hand it causeth him to walke not deceiptfully but with an vpright heart not in his ordinarie calling alone but moreouer in the following and performance of any godly businesse otherwise lawfully committed vnto him The reason is because it placeth the Lord before him sitting in his throne of iustice and beholding all that he doth or thinketh whereby he is brought kept in such godly awe that albeit men coulde not espie his falshood yet he knoweth how the Lord will both see and iudge the same wherupon he imployeth himselfe with all diligence to do his worke faithfully as in the sight of God That the true feare of God is of this effect it is manifest 2. Chron. 19.9 For there we may reade how Iehoshaphat king of Iuda laboring the reformation of his whole king dome by due ministration of iustice and by diligent preaching of the word he chargeth the officers to deale vprightly and minding to shew what would be auailable to make them so to do he attributeth this glorious effect to the true feare of God saying Thus shall ye do in the feare of God and by way of exposition addeth faith fully and with a perfect heart as if he had said I may charge you to deale faithfully but I cannot make you so to do notwithstanding that which my commandement cannot worke in you that the true feare of God if ye haue the same will effectually bring to passe in you Now therefore if ye feare God aright as ye pretend to do then shew it by the true effect of that feare that is to say by faithfull and vpright dealing in this charge and burthen that is laid vpon you Let euerie one of what degree condition soeuer examine himselfe by this propertie he shall easily vnderstád whether the true feare of God be resident with him or no. If such as are in authoritle be not faithfull in ministring iustice and suppressing the aduersaries of truth and godlines it is cuident hereby what they are If such as are in the ministerie be not faithfull in doing their office but either dispéce not the word at all or deale after the manner of hucksters deceitfully with it they declare them selues to bee void of the true feare of God If trades men haue and vse a false weight and a false measure or seeke to inriche them selues by any manner of false dealing there is no question but that so long as they continue such and so minded the vnfained and true feare of God hath no dwelling place nor abiding in them 3 A third effect wherby the true feare of God is made knowne to be in a má is that it maketh him not onely to separate himselfe from the defilings and corruptions of the world when he heareth them rebuked by the word of God but moreouer speaketh earnestly to his neighbors whom he seeth entangled with such vngodlinesse vpon purpose and intent to draw them also away from those iniquities Forhe hath euermore his heart meditating vpon the commandemèt of the Lord which chargeth him not onely to have no fellovvship vvith the vnfruitfull vvorks of darknesse but moreouver to reproue them as is set downe Ephes 5. This effect of the true feare of God yee may finde in the prophecie of Malachie chap. 3. 16. For albeit the people of that generation were exceeding wicked yet some there were which at the rebuking admonition of the prophet forsook such wickednes laboring to draw others to gither with them which persons the prophet noteth to haue bin led to such encouragement of their neighbors by this true feare of God which the Lord endued thè withal For so lie saith then saith he they that feared the Lord spake ouery man to his neighbor This is a lesson for you that can be content in outward shew and appearance to subiect your owne necks to the sweet yoke of christian reformation yee have heard the prophets of the Lord in the spirite and zeale of Malachie reprooue gentlemen others for robbing the Lord of his portion of his tythes offrings as Malachie did ye haue heard them roproue ministers for not keping knowledge in their lippes that the people might aske the lawe of God at theyr mouth as the Prophet did yee haue hearde them rebuke many other corruptions wherein this generation hath farre exceeded and gone beyonde the people of Malachies time yee haue profited so far in outward appearance that ye lament for these iniquities of our time to the eie and seeme to leaue and forsake them your owne selues but yet are in opinion a great number of you howe it is not within the compasse of your seuerall duties to labour in calling other aware from the fame corruptions out of which yee are escaped Marke therefore this third effect of the true feare of God be well assured that it is euerie mans ductie which will shew himselfe to feare God aright not onelie to leaue these enormities their own selues but moreouer to exhort euene man his neighbors be they Gentlemen or other in ecclesiafticall or temporall vocation to leaue these iniquities with them and to become newe men otherwise the true feare of God raigneth not in them 3 The third waie and meanes whereby ye may take intelligence of your owne soules whether this true feare of God commanded by S. Peter dwell in you or no is by such companie and fellowship as the true feare of God continuallie keepeth The reprobates yea the Atheists feare God so doe the denils also but it is in such a seruile and slauish manner that they hate him whom they feare whereas it is far otherwise with them which haue the true feare of God in them for the true feare of God is as one verie fitlie tearmeth it Tanquam seta sutoria trabens post se filum delectionis as it were the shoomakers haire drawing after it the threed of loue which infinite examples of Gods faithful children mentioned in the Scripture do confirme proue For so they feared the Lorde that they loued him also entirely and from the bottome of their hearts For proofes sake to bring one or two it is reported of Dauid 2. Sam. 6.9 that hee seated the Lord exceeding lie who not withstanding Psal 116.1 auouched trulie of himself that he loued the Lord Yea and Moses which in the places before mentioned gaue commandement to the people of Israel to feare the Lord doeth also charge them to loue him with all their heart vvith all their soule and vvith all their might Deu. 6.5 which declareth how the true feare of God is accompanied with a loue of him in the same partie So the we must not feare God as the deuils and reprobates feare him neither yet must wee feare the almightle with a popish kind of feare How is that will some saie the Papists haue a feare of God in the but it is such a kinde of feare as is accompanied with a distrust in God insomuch
from him to go vnto that lieutenant and in his name to giue him such rebuke as be deseruech and suche tearmes of disgrace as are meete for him which yet eueric one may not doe neither yet that Ambassadour without the commandement of his monarch In like sort forasmuch as God is the onely monarch of the whole worlde and all princes his lieutenants within their seucrall dominions though he haue set it downe as a common law for his subiects that is for all other men that no person in the world shall once dare to vse the prince vnreuerently in worde or deede yet this letteth not but that when princes despise and breake the commandements of God whose lieutenants they are the Lorde may make who me he listeth his Ambassadour to them ward cause the said Ambassador without any his offense to rebuke them with what hard maner of speach foeuer according to their desertes it shall please his diuine maiesty to put into the mouth of that his messenger which yet euery one may not do neither that Ambassadour be he prophet or minister without such commandement Thus we see the Prophets and extraordinary messengers of the Lord as Elisha Micaiah c. cleere from fault because they had the word of the Lord so to doe and yet no man authorised by their example to speake or do his wicked pleasure against his prince Which euerie true subiect is to note obserue not onelie for intent that the deuill may not leade him by misconstruction of Gods word to vnreuerent handling of his soueraigne but moreouer that we may vnderstand for a suretie that they are nothing else but deuillish treachers and hellish blasphemies where with our English traitours haue opposed themselues against our annointed of the Lorde calling her vsurping competitour and laboring by all wicked pollicie to shed her bloud in consideration they had no commandement from the Lorde neither yet fust cause so to do 2. The second parte of the kings honour is obedience which is a performing of all the Princes lavvfull commandements that is to saie which iustle not against the truth of Gods worde ioyned vvith a quiet suffering at their handes for vnlavvfull things refused And for the first point that the Prince is to be honored with sueh fulfilling of all his lawfull and godly ordinances by the Scripture may bee plainlie shewed and declared vnto vs. For in as much as the worde of God maketh reckoning how the king is the chiefest of all here in this world 1. Pet. 2. it were absurd to thinke how the spirite of God woulde haue lesse submission rendered to such an one then it chargeth seruantes to yeld to their common maisters Whervpon it followeth that seeing S. Paule cammandeth seruants to be obedient vnto them that are their maisters according vnto the flesh in all things that is to saie in all lawfull things Collossians the third Chapter and two and twentith verse Much more must men be readie to obey the cōmandemēt of the prince in all things that are lawfull and godly considering that if they do not so obey forasmuch as obedience is one part of the princes honor they do plain ly dishonour the prince in that point 2 In this case we find a notable example in the booke of Ioshua chap. 16.17.18 For whereas the people of the Lorde perceaued that Ioshua was full of the spirit of wisdom and that he was annointed of the Lord to be their gonernor now after the death of Moses they knowing what dutie they ought vnto one in that place dignity with great reuerence submit them selues vnto him make promise before the Lord to obey him in all things lawful For thus they say vnto him All that thou hast commanded vs will vve do and vvhether soener thou sendest vs vve will go As we obeyed Mosos in all things so vvill vve obey thee and vvhosoeuer shall rebell against thy commanlement vvill not obey thy vvordes in all that thou commandest him let him be put to death This is the promise of the people approued of God receaued of Ioshua sot downe in the worde for a president to after generations whereby we are put out of all dout that the prince is to be honored with fulfilling performing of all his lawfull godly commandements That which I have shewed you in doctrine I will also make cuidet by example in our owne selues And first I suppose how hir maiesty by statute or some other princely meanes commanded in the first or some other yere past of her reigne or if not commanded her selfe yet ratified some statute of her noble an cestours commanding that after such time no vnlearned and vnsufficient minister should be admitted to preach the worde or to administer the sacraments This if it were so it were a most lawfull commandement because it accordeth and is agreeable with the word of God which not only alloweth none other person to haue cure of soules but such a one as whose lippes do keepe knowledge and from whose mouth the people may aske haue the law of the Lord Malach. 2. 1. Tim. 3 but also teacheth how if the salt that is the minister haue lost his saltnesse that is the abillitie to teach the people of God he is thence forth not to be imployed to meaner partes of that calling but good for nothing in that office but to be cast out and trodden vnder foote Considering than how this commandement were most lawfull whosoeuer should after the time aforesaid wittingly and wilfully make by such vnlearned minister disobey the lawfull commandement of the Prince and consequently so farre forth dishonoreth his Prince The reason is apparant namely because obedience or fulfilling of the Princes lawfull commandements and lawes is one part of the Princes honour which cannot be denyed him but so much of his princely honor must be denied him also In like maner I say of such law of our Soueraine as commandeth cuerie subject of this realme to come and resort to church at time sanctified and set a part for the same purpose by the Lord it is a most lawfull godly commandement For it is euery way agreeable to the word of God commanding all men to keepe his Sabbathes and to reuerence his sanctuarie Leuit. 19.30 wherefore when our English Papists refuse this they do for the reason aforesaid so far forth dishonor the Prince which commandeth it The like may be said of many things commanded in our lawes which being compared with the word of God appeare to be most lawfull and godly But here some flauering courtier will say you auouch that obedience that is a fulfilling of the princes lawfull commandementes is a part of the princes honor tell me this I pray you do not they disobey the king and consequently dishonor him which do not whatsoeuer he commandeth No truely for true and christian obedience whereby the prince is honored is a performing of lawfull commādements If anie thing therefore