Apostle calls spiritum Seruitutis the spirit of Bondage Rom. 8.15 and the filiall feare from that which hee calls spiritum Adoptionis the spirit of Adoption For we haue not saith hee receiued the spirit of Bondage to fear again but we haue receiued the spirit of Adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father Both of them the good worke of Gods most holy spirit the filiall feare he worketh onely in his elect children the seruile feare both in the elect and the reprobate though not vnto the same end But in the reprobate as a pledge and beginning of future and greater punishments and in his elect as it is an entrance into grace whereby the seruant of God is admonished to forbeare sinne for inasmuch as a Christian man is an Hypostasis consisting of two natures which the Scripture notes out by the Flesh and the Spirit the Old man and the New and such like therfore are both of these feares required the one to restraine the power of sinne the other to set forwards the powers of righteousnesse Yet not both in the same degree of respect For although in a Christian the seruile feare cannot be wanting because that as in a bad way wee haue as much if not more neede of a bridle then a spurre so wee as it were riding on through the rough and thorny paths of sinne haue in that respect more neede of that feare to hold vs backe yet for all that it is not to be paralelld with the filiall feare nor to be accounted a true and essentiall part of Gods worship and honour but onely as a remouer of his dishonor and a preparatiue vnto the filiall feare In which respect one of the Fathers compares seruile feare to a Needle and filiall feare to a Thred so that as the needle doth enter into the cloth not to stay there but to draw in the thred after it so is the seruile feare required in euery Christian not as a thing acceptable in the sight of God but onely as a preparatiue vnto that filiall feare wherein his true seruice doth especially consist From the consideration of which things wee may gather this obseruation and carefully lay it vp in our memories as a lesson necessary to be learned of all men That so long as we feare the iudgements of God wee may deeme our selues the seruants of God but wee are neuer the sonnes of God vntill we feare him for his goodnesse The seruant feares his Master but why because that if hee doe not well hee will punish him but the sonne feares his Father because he loues him and therefore is fearefull to displease him hauing more regard vnto his Fathers griefe then his owne punishment respecting more the losse of his Fathers loue then the incurring Gal. 4.30 and the induring of his owne paine Now the seruant abides not in the house for euer saith the Scripture but they which haue receiued the adoption of sonnes shall onely inherit Why because hee feares not God for God but onely for himselfe which properly is not true feare because the obiect of it is not truely euill For malum poenae the euill of punishment which seruile feare onely respects is not simply euill not euill suo genere as the Schooles speak nor sua natura in it owne nature for it is a worke of the pure and exact Iustice of God but onely malum secundum not euill in respect of vs Whereas on the other side the childe-like feare is the onely true feare because onely its obiect is truely euill For malum culpae the euill of sinne which it chiefly respects is sua natura in it owne nature euill although our corrupted nature account it as bonum secundum nos secming good vnto vs and therefore doth our inclination so much desire to commit it And howsoeuer the feare of sonnes may be said also to respect malum poenae the euill of punishment yet is it not that punishment which the other lookes at for seruile feare lookes onely at that which is called poenae sensus that punishment which it sensiblie shall feele but the filiall feare at that which is called poena damni the punishment of losse fearing more to lose the loue and fauour of God and the promised ioyes of Heauen then to be iustly punished by God and to endure all the torments of Hell Let vs therefore consider that so long as we do feare God onely for his iudgements we are but seruile the seed of the bond-woman but vntill we feare him for his goodnesse we are not the sonnes of the free-woman not the true adopted sonnes of God By the one we are still vnder the Law but by the other we are vnder Grace The one is wrought in vs by the threatnings of the Law the other by the sweet promises of the Gospell In summe The true childe of God is more afraide to deserue punishment then to suffer punishment Now for the second that God onely is to be feared it may be also doubted that in as much as the Lord hath commanded vs in his word to feare our Parents Leuit. 19.3 Rom. 13.4.7 Ephes 6.5 to feare the Magistrates the Gouernours which hee hath set ouer vs How is he said onely to be feared and what proportion is there between that feare which we owe vnto God and that which we are to giue vnto men what difference is there betweene the one and the other To which I answer that God onely and no other besides him is to be feared in these two respects and limitations Simpliciter and per se simply and by himselfe For first God alone and neyther Angell Deuill nor any other creature besides is to befeared simpliciter simply because he onely hath a simple and an absolute power ouer vs. For howsoever the creature may haue power to doe that euill which we may feare yet is not its power absolute nor ouer all and euery part of vs but limited vnto our bodies and goods onely Whereas Gods power is vnlimited and absolute both ouer soule and body goods and all and is able to destroy all In which respect our blessed Sauiour admonisheth his Disciples not to feare them which kill the body Math. 10.28 but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him who is able to destroy both soule and body in hell And the reason why wee are to feare the Magistrate the Apostle giues in the 13. of his Epistle to the Romanes because he heares not the Sword for nought Rom. 13.4 But the power of the sword is limited eyther to our goods or bodies or liues and cannot extend vnto the soule and conscience and therefore is hee not to be feared absolutely as God is because hee hath not that absolute power that God hath Secondly God onely is to be feared per se for his owne sake for himselfe without any reference at all to any other creature For although both Angells Men and Diuells haue power in some things
and setled in a fearefull and awfull respect of that almighty God which surely will be auenged on all his enemies vnlesse the current and streame of your crying sins be restrained by a godly feare Which is the truest exposition of this Text and most agreeable to the sense of this Scripture Feare therefore is the duty here simply propoforce First positiuely as it is a Diuine iniunction to stand in awe and feare of God at all times and then relatiuely as it is the speciall and onely meanes for the auoyding and restrayning of sinne In the first I will consider first what Feare is in it selfe then how God onely is to be feared and none other besides him Now Feare in it selfe is a passion of the sensible appetite shunning and auoyding irresistable euills future and to come For the better vnderstanding whereof wee are to consider that as there are in man two principall fountains of direction namely Reason and Sense so are there likepetite For wee must haue speciall care in searching out the knowledge of these things that we make a difference betweene the Will properly and strictly taken and that inferiour naturall desire which is called the Appetite the one in diuers respects being more excellent then the other the one is as the Mistresse the other as the Seruant For the appetite is the wills solicitor and the will is the appefor all actions which proceed from the disposition of the will are in the power thereof eyther to be performed or stayed whereas the appetite cannot chuse but rise at the sight of such things as it ias affected withall neyther is it in our power whether wee be stirred with afections or no. Finally the will is a free desire or bending of our soules vnto the hauing or doing of that good which onely reason and vnderstanding prescribeth the appetite an earnest and necessary inclination desire vnto that good onely which sense proposeth The one is called appetitus rationalis the reasonable appetite the other appetitus sensitivus the sensible appetite For the obiect of the will is that good which reason doth leade vs to seeke and the obiect of the appetite is whatsoeuer sensible good may be wished for Now as our appetite doth immediately positiuely respect and seeke after good so doth it necessarily by consequent auoyd that which is euill so that as positiuely good so negatiuely euill is the obiect thereof And according vnto the diuers circumstances of its obiect of good and euill so is the appetite varied into diuers formes and fashions which are called the affections or passions of the minde For as in the generall it is inclined vnto good it is called Loue and as it resisteth euill it is called Hatred as it earnestly pursueth that which is good it is called Zeale and as it vehemently opposeth that which is euill it is called Anger as it is affected with the good which is present it is stiled by the name of Ioy and as it hath reference vnto the present euill it is named Sorrow if it respect future good Hope and if future euill Feare Feare then is a passion or affection of the sensible appetite shunning and auoyding euills future and to come So that seeing what Feare is in it selfe in considering in the next place that this feare is only to be referred vnto God I will reduce my discourse into these two heads first that he is to be feared and secondly that he onely is to be feared and no other besides him For the first It may be a question in as much as the obiect of feare is euill for wee feare not any thing properly but as euill how can God be said to be feared who is onely good yea the soueraigne good of all To which I answer that Feare hath a double respect First of the euill it flies from and secondly of the good from whence the euill comes If it be referred vnto the euill it feares it per se for it selfe if vnto the good it feares it but by accident not for it selfe but propter aliud for that euill it brings with it So that although the obiect of feare properly be euill yet by accident and as it were indirectly we may be said to feare that which is good also And that in two respects First lest the good which wee loue may by some euill be lost and taken from vs. And secondly because the good we feare may haue in it some power and strength to inflict euill vpon vs. Which two respects the Philosophers say are the onely originall causes of feare Amor and Defectus Loue and Weakenesse Loue vnto that good which we feare to loose and inability to resist that euill which would take that good from vs. For why doe we feare death but because wee loue life and why doe we feare a good Magistrate but because hee hath that power to inflict punishment vpon vs which we are not able to resist If we did not loue that which is good we should not feare to lose it And if we had power to withstand that which is euill we should not feare it at all For the biting of a dogge is euill but the Lion feares it not because he is able to resist it What was the reason that Saul feared and Dauid had courage to encounter Goliah but because the one both saw his forces vnequall and also being destitute of Faith did despaire of the Lords assistance whereas the other being assured by Faith that the Lord would be his helper feared not So that loue vnto good and inability to resist euill being the onely causes of feare in both of these respects there is none whom wee ought to feare so much as God the Lord. For who better to be beloued in his presence being the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore Or who is able to oppose his almighty power and therefore in that respect who is more to be feared also In confidence wherof the Prophet resolueth Psalm 23.4 that though he were in the valley of the shadow of death yet would he feare none ill because the Lord was with him According vnto which two Diuines haue distinguished feare to be two-fold eyther seruilis or filialis a seruile or a filiall feare The seruile feare doth feare God because hee is iust and powerfull the filiall feare because hee is good and mercifull the seruile feare doth bridle sin the filiall feare doth prouoke vnto righteousnesse the one doth restraine the lust of the flesh the other doth set forward the motions of the Spirit Whiles we haue but the first we are but as seruants but when wee haue the second we are accounted as Sonnes by the one we are afraid to suffer by the other wee are afraid to offend the obiect of the one is malum poenae the euill of punishment the obiect of the other is malum culpae the euill of sinne the seruile feare proceeds from that which the
said finne not swere whereunto we are to consider that sinne in a Christian man is after a two fold manner either as a Tyrant or as a Rebell As a tyrant before regeneration when we liue as captiues and seruants vnder sinne obeying it in the lustes thereof and yeelindg our members as instruments of vnrighteousnesse vnto it without any checke or opposition at all As a Rebell when as a Christian after regeneration seeles the law of his members rebelling against the law of his minde and bringing him againe as an vnwilling captiue vnto the law of sinne Now after this manner namely as sinne is a rebell there is no man liuing but sinne shall still continue and remaine with him so long as he shall liue in the flesh which the Lord doth purposely suffer in his owne elect seruants for diuers ends and purposes both to abate the insulting pride of mans heart to make them wearie of this world but especially to make good and shew forth his great power in their weakenesse But after the first manner that is as a Tyrant sinne is in no man that is actually the childe of God in which respect onely the Prophet in this place doth forbid sinne namely according to the Apostles exhortation not that sinne be not in you but that it raigne not in you that you should willingly obey it in the lusts thereof Which kindes of sinning Saint Iohn differenceth herein comprehending the one vnder name of sinning simply and the other of committing sinne by peccare and peccatum facere In the first respect saith he he that saith he hath not sinne is a lyer and the truth is not in him Concerning the other he saith he that is borne of God sinneth not 1 Ioh. 3.9 These commit not sinne namely as a seruant of sinne Yea he addeth that he cannot sinne to wit with a full swing and consent of his will as those that be the serswing and consent of his will as those that be the seruants of sinne because the seede of God remaines in him whereby he is partly spirit and not onely flesh so that as he cannot perfectly will that which is good because of the rebellion of the flesh so can he not will with full consent that which is euill because of the reluctation of the spirit For howsoeuer peccare and peccatum facere to sinne and to commit sinne are not so generally differenced but that in many places of the Scriptures the one is put for the other yet is there necessitie of distinction betweene them For he is said properly peccatum facere to commit sinne qui studio peccanditenetur which is setled in a delightfull desire thereof which bends all the forces of his minde and the whole sway of his desires therevnto Being a propertie peculiar vnto the reprobate and vnregen erate who as the Prophet saith of them inuent mischiefe vpon their beds Psal 36.4 they cannot sleepe vnlesse they haue done euill And as the meditation and delight of a true Christian should be in the law of his God and in contemplation thereof so is their whole delight and meditation in the law of sinne how they may fulfill the lusts thereof that is they sinne ex animo without any reluctation at all it comes willingly and pleasingly from them Their very thoughts and intentions are more damnable then the sinfull actions of the godly why because they proceede from the heart their will concurs therewith and therefore our blessed Sauiour saith vnto Iudas Quod fasis fac cito Ioh. 13.27 that thou doest doe speedily Hee had then done nothing yet saith our Sauiour Zuod facis What thou doest because his minde was at that time intent and set vpon it Whereas on the other side we reade of diuers in the Scriptures who although they did not exactly fulfill the law and commandements of God in act yet their thoughts their affections and their wils being with and vpon them they are said to haue kept them So we reade of the Prophet Ps 119.121.168 Feci iudicium institiam I haue done righteously and iustly and I haue kept thy testimonies and I haue not erred from thy precepts Now how could be say thus of himselfe when as it is well knowne he had many times sinned grieuously Why surely most iustly if we consider his heart and affections though not if we consider those sinfull actions which by infirmitie he fell into For his minde and his will was alwaies to haue obeyed God and he continually applyed himselfe that way the law of God was his meditation day and night In this respect therefore the Prophet doth admonish vs that we sinne not that is that we commit not sinne that our delights be not set thereon that our desires and our wills concurre not therewith Or else thus may be the Prophets meaning in these words sinne not That originall concupiscence that habituall custome of sinne which is within our natures is a corrupt tree continually supullulating sprouting out a filthy fountain ouer flowing at all times all the faculties of our soules Now Stand in awe and sinne not saith the Prophet that is let the feare of God plucke vp those poysonfull Sprigs and stop the passage of those vnwholsome streames that the one doe not grow nor the other doe not flow beyond the bounds and limits of Gods Law S. Iames doth excellently set forth the gradation of sinne of its beginning proceeding and perfecting in his first Chapter the 14. and 15. verses Euery man is tempted saith he when he is drawne away of his owne lust and is entised Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sinne and sinnewhen it is finished bringeth forth Death The originall and whole progression of sinne vnto the end thereof is in these words expressed For Concupiscence begets it the will conceaues it the act brings it forth and death finisheth it Though concupiscence therefore would alwaies beget it in thee yet sinne not saith the Prophet that is yeeld not vnto its entisements and let the feare of God hold thee backe from prostituting thy holy will vnto the vnchast allurements thereof Stand in awe and sinne not Lastly to conclude if for your better vnderstanding hereof I may illustrate it by an Allegoricall resemblance you may imagine the soule of man at the first to haue bin as the Garden of Eden the Garden of God wherein the Lord had ingrasted euery thing that was delightfull in his sight and pleasing vnto his tast But when as man had so defiled this heauenly Paradise with the filthinesse and stench of sinne the Lord left this goodly habitation and since it s growne a Wildernesse a poole of Snakes a Cage of vncleane birds there nothing but thornes and Brambles Weedes and Thilstles growes in the same So that now afore regeneration the soule is as the ruines of an olde Garden ouer-growne with weedie and poysonable hearbs But when it shall please God to returne vnto his Garden