you haue heard his end the Serpents head was broken Impatiencies swelling bulke was burst and outward afflictions as the Clouds with the Sunnes presence dispersed and he became the master of the field which feared God Though then the conflict be cruell they that feare the Lord may be constant though the battell be continued they may be comforted for they are not forsaken but are deliuered Psal 33.18 and the victory is certaine to be theirs for it conquers victoriously and richly crownes both them and theirs opening a Treasure wherein nothing which may content the eye please the taste delight the smell enrich the soule blesse the estate is wanting Ecclus. 40.27 It is a Garden replenished with variety of Gods mercies to delight the spirituall smell of our apprehension it accompanies vs to the Temple Psal 5.7 which is filled with Gods glorious presence to content the eies of our vnderstanding It pleaseth the pallat of our affections Psal 34.7 8. with the sweet Nectar of his graciousnesse It is a Sunne to warme our benummed will in the practise of goodnesse and a fire to enflame our zeales in contemplation of holinesse It brings with it a comfortable vse of worldly blessings Pro. 12.27 for many hunt after worldly profit but haue it not haue it but it helps not they take great paines and attaine their expectation but put their gaines in broken bags Hab. 2. Eccles 6.2 The couetous man keeps them so safely as he dares not touch them the Prodigall spends them so lauishly Luke 15. that hee comes to want them many possesse them comfortably to their worldly content as the rich man in Saint Luke but doe not blessedly either possesse or vse them only hee that feareth God obtaines them possesseth them spends them spares them vseth them blessedly for nothing is wanting to him Psal 34.9 10. nothing that is good whatsoeuer may hurt his hope or hinder his confidence coole his zeale or freeze his forwardnesse may be wanting but nothing that may further his faith or inflame his obedience shall be missing Psal 128.2 He shall labour and eat the labour of his hands he shall be blessed and it shall be well with him Hee openeth his hand and giueth to him that needeth Psal 112.5 and yet expendeth with iudgement Howsoeuer it goes with the wicked in life or death yet I know saies Salomon Eccle. 8.12 that it shall bee well with them that feare the Lord and doe reuerence before him Psal 33.18 19. For his eyes are on them to deliuer their soule from death and preserue them in the time of dearth And that wee may take notice of the abundance of their wealth the greatnesse of their worth the feare of God is compared to a Well-spring an euer-flowing Fountaine Pro 14.27 so as though the channels decay and be dried vp this euer yeeldeth sufficient supply of knowledge to confirme the mind of direction to conforme the manners of wisdome to informe our contemplations of caution to reforme our actions The waies of God are vnsearchable the mysteries of godlinesse incomprehensible yet to him that feareth God will hee teach the way Psal 25.12 not that which the world followeth the flesh sauoreth Satan affecteth but what himselfe chuseth Naturall reason cannot comprehend carnall knowledge cannot search earthly affections cannot desire these secrets which the Lord reueales vnto them that are possessed of his feare vers 14. Prou. 22.4 Riches attend on it Honour will not be without it Life is the guerdon of it Yet here is not the bounds of this Ocean it brancheth it selfe into euery Channell euery Medow euery Tree the root is not only partaker of this moistnesse the bole onely receiues not benefit by this Riuer but euery branch communicateth of this treasure Esay 33.6 Psal 103.17 for the louing kindnesse of the Lord endureth for euer and euer vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse vpon childrens children Psal 25.13 The soule of the man himselfe shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit the earth Neither is this benefit temporall but spirituall which from this Fountaine is deriued for they shall see the wealth not of an earthly Monarchy so much desired of a worldly Empire so much thirsted after but of Ierusalem 128.5 6. that is the true Church of the euer-liuing all-disposing God not for a little moment or a few moneths but all the daies of their liues yea not themselues alone shall be partakers of it but they may certainly expect to behold their posterity inuested in it euen the constant and continuall peace vpon Israel Pro. 14.26 For in the feare of the Lord is strong confidence Howsoeuer Persecutors may rage and persecution may threaten to ruine all before it yet the children of them that feare God shall haue a place of refuge So as with the Prophet Dauid Psal 31.19 we in admiration may cry out How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee euen before the sonnes of men ver 20. Doth pride seeke to insult ouer them He hides them priuily in his owne presence Doth malice seeke to preuaile against them he keepes them secretly in his Tabernacle from the strife of tongues Chrysost in serm de Iohan. Bapt. This is that onely whereby our minds are corrected sinnes are shunned innocency preserued and ability to all goodnesse is conferred No euill can visit them euill may surprise but shall neuer seize vpon euill may oppresse but neuer suppresse them that feare the Lord. It is like Cammomile the more it is trod on the more it spreadeth like Spice the more it is pounded the better it smelleth the Chesnut tree the more it is beaten the better fruit it beares Let then the feare of God finde footing in your hearts and for this purpose obserue his workes of Maiesty and might The consideration of Christs Maiesty was the meanes of Pauls conuersion for when hee beheld the glory of the Lord though with a full resolution and resolued purpose he was breathing out persecution against the Saints seeking to terrifie nay to torture the sonnes and daughters of God hee himselfe was strucke with terror Act. 9. Mat. 17.6 Luke 2.9 Doth a bright Cloud ouer-shadow Iesus Moses and Elias and are Peter Iames and Iohn at the sight of the same amazed Doth the glory of the Lord shine round about the Shepheards and are they astonished and shall not feare possesse our hearts in the contemplation of his Maiesty His workes of might in the worlds creation wickeds confusion and godlies preseruation In the worlds creation Dei Dicere was Rerum Esse Gods Word was of such worth and his breathing so binding that his onely saying gaue essence vnto euery Creature Psal 33.7 8 9. for he spake and it was done he commanded and it was created
zeale that it can neuer be altogether quenched this dew moistneth the heart with grace which will neuer be throughly dryed vp this food filleth the bones with marrow that will neuer be wholly wasted For they who feare the Lord shall neuer depart from him Jerem. 32.40 and assuredly shall continue Prou. 19.23 continue in his loue continue in their loialty continue prudent combattants against Satan potent Commanders ouer sinne so as no sooner can any part be vndermined but prudence espies it no sooner any place battered but prouidence repaires it no sooner any encounter offered but hope of safety entertaines it no sooner the least assault made but strength resisteth resisting preuaileth and preuailing persisteth Now wee proceed to those flowers which the feare of God putteth into the hearts and hands of euery one that hath it that hee may not as Iacob feared hee should stinke among his neighbouring Inhabitants Gen. 34. but yeeld a sweet and pleasing smell to others whether liuing or dead It respecteth the liuing in regard of their superiority or inferiority or promiscuously To superiors who either in minde or body or state are better furnished then other it presenteth Dittany not for the shew or smell but for the vse and vertue of it which is double attractiue and expulsiue so the feare of God at the sight of others miseries is touched with them and laies them to the heart whence proceedeth a pitying of their wants and woes a prouiding for their wealth and welfare pitying of their wants neither neglecting their neede nor adding to their calamity knowing that they must doe iust and equall to the most inferiour because they haue one who is their supreme and that they may neither put a stumbling blocke before the blind Leu 19.14 for that were inhumane cruelty nor rule ouer the meanest too rigorously for that were cruellinhumanity 5.15 Nehemiah feared God but how shall that be knowne he did so attract to himselfe the miseries and oppressions of the people that he would neither bee chargeable himselfe where he might nor suffer his seruants to beare rule ouer them as no doubt they would But is the signe hung out whereby these fruits and want of pitty may be left vngathered The Lord giues the token in pressing the duty to bee performed saying But thou shalt feare thy God Leu. 19.14 so that then the feare of God is that herbe on which pittying of others wants appeareth and where vsury taking of aduantage oppressing a neighbour such a one as is deare or neere vnto vs either in a spirituall naturall or politicall respect or in a corporall spirituall or accidentall neede doe spring we may passe by these because vnfit flowers to garnish the Lords Temple nay we must neglect them because they stinke already in the Lords Nosthrils hauing neither any participation with nor sent of moisture from his feare which as Dittany not only attracting but expelling cureth not the wounding but the wounded not onely pittieth the wants but prouideth for their weales It prepareth a potion and purgeth out their poyson it anointeth their wounds and asswageth their woes it powreth into their eares the wine of comfortable words and filleth their hands with the suppling oile of supplying workes Their words as the flower of the almond-Almond-tree suppled with the oyle of compassion cure those who are subiect to the falling sicknesse of spirituall Apostasie or the Lethargy of forgetting either of Gods power and mercy or their owne wretchednesse and impotency and pounded with the hony of consolation asswageth the stinging of a wounded conscience and the Vlcers of a wicked conuersation And as the Vine branches couer the buds of their now sprouting hopes that they for the present and in future time continue safe from the Summers scorching and Winters scourge from the boisterous winds of calumny and bitter weather of calamity from the breath of enuy 1 King 18.3 c. and from the hands of cruelty Obediah is reported of to haue feared God greatly but what argument is vsed to assure the truth of it What signe or token is there in him What worke done by him to perswade it Doe wee know the Tree by the Fruits or the day by the Sunne rising Oh Obediah the feare of God shineth in thy facts Iezabel hateth the Lords Prophets thy heart groaneth for their griefe Iezabel is persecuting the Lords Prophets thy head is deuising their safety Iezabel is destroying the Lords Prophets thy hand is preparing their securitie are they disconsolate and dost thou comfort them Are they houselesse and dost thou harbour them Are they afraid of Famine and dost thou feede them The feare of God was greatly rooted in thee wa st not thou the Gouernour of the Kings house thou couldst not be ignorant that great ones haue many an Argus to watch ouer them that they who are neere Princes haue the eies of ambitious emulation and enuious ambition to prie into them thy foresight could not but tell thee that if this were discouered the displeasure of the king whose anger is as the roring of a Lion would be vnappeaseable the stings of Baals Priests as so many Bees about thee vnsufferable the cruell malice and malicious cruelty of the Queene according to her greatnesse would be grieuous and as her hatred vnlimitable What labourer seeing a cloud arise out of the sea doth not suspect a shower what Hare espying the approach of the Hound doth not at least expect a course What beast seeing the Lionesse range as robbed of her whelpes feares not to become a prey or who dare take the prey out of the Lions mouth Can I then see her bloudy purposes preuented by thy prudence her cruell persecutions to thy vtmost endeuour bounded within lesse than her intended limits doe I looke on them miserable and thee mercifull obserue them perplexed and thee pitifull and not admire it What heauenly heart-cheering Zephirus caused this motion What spirituall-comfort-bringing-fire inflamed this zeale What diuine ouerswaying power directed this action which neither apparent might nor potent malice could hinder The feare of God was that tree which did beare this fruit that bellowes which did blow this fire whereby the feare of man and of earthly mischiefe was consumed Can you perceiue this Dittany kept in the heart held in the hand of Superiours by its operation sucking out the venome saluing of the sores of such as are disconsolate or distressed helping any that are any way wanting or wofull Doubt not the feare of God gathered that herbe and there hath giuen it Now that which this grace prouideth for inferiours is the Rose knowne and delighted in for two speciall properties because it doth decore visum pascere odore olfactum afficere feedes the sight with rarenesse of the beauty and delights the smell with the sweetnesse of the sauour So the feare of God may be knowne to be in such as are subiect to others by submissiue reuerence and sincere
which aboue others was deuout feared God 10. ioyning him with two others of his seruants for a speciall seruice such a seruice as was aduised by an Angell one of heauens Heraulds to an Apostle one of the Lords-Vice-gerents for the informing of himselfe how to fight that he might finde a kingdome how to combat that hee might win winning triumph and triumphing weare a Crowne that doth not fade Surely hee thought as none could bee more fit for that message so none could be more acceptable more faithfull in that ambassage It cannot be but sincere obedience aswell as submissiue reuerence will be found to bud and blossome where the feare of God hath watered Thus doth the feare of God furnish both superiour and inferiour seuerally considered either of them with an vsefull and mutually pleasing posie Let vs now see wherewith it garnisheth the spirituall houses of all promiscuously of both the meane as well as of the mighty of the high as of the low poore as rich one as another And the first is Helitropium fashioning the man wherein it is according as the Lord is pleased in anger or fauor to absent or present himselfe and lying at the heart sends out at the bosome the leaues which are of that property that they are powerfull against all swelling tumors of spirituall pride preseruing humility and yet alwaies white implying innocency for he that feareth God is not arrogant in opinion not estranged from any others in affection neither offendeth willingly nor offended easily becommeth all things to all men yet neither deceiuing nor being deceiued neither tainting others with the Leuen of impurity nor tainted himselfe by others with the Canker of either hereticall impiety or impious heresie for selfe-conceited wisdome is a tumour which the feare of God breaketh and therefore is prescribed by the Lord as an Antidote against it Prou. 3.7 Bee not wise so aduiseth Salomon in thine owne eies for that is a poyson but that thou maist auoid it feare the Lord. Where there are humble thoughts without ambition brotherly care without contempt like affection without contradictious vaine-glory or vaine-glorious contradiction where in priuate there is not a selfe conceited meeting to encrease schisme but a holy assembly mutually to continue true zeale and a religious society in publike not a Christs-coat-renting but a Church-cheering-conuenticle not a schisme-furthering but a true zeale-enflaming conference there is submitting themselues one to another in the feare of God Ephes 5.21 Rom. 12.16 See wee any like affectioned one to another and not high minded See we men making themselues equall towards them of the lower sort See we men esteeming euery man better than themselues Is there none so scornefull but will cast his eies vpon others meanest matters none so froward but will suffer others to cast an eie vpon their actions none so wise but will embrace anothers watch-word Are they thus inwardly decked with lowlinesse of minde as sure as the Lord liueth the feare of God is in them for to haue outward cause of being haughty and yet to be humble to be outwardly humbled and not inwardly haughty either through patience in obeying without expectation of reward or merit or in bearing without offending by murmuring is an infallible signe of fearing God the property whereof is in all things to depart from euill Prou. 8.13 Further as the Doue in her bill did beare the Oliue branch as an Ensigne of rest so these in their words and workes doe beare the leaues and weare the liuery of vnitie which is so acceptable to God and man that it made Dauid to vse an emphaticall exclamation Psal 133.1 Oh how good and ioyfull a thing it is brethren to dwell together in vnitie We might haue giuen credit if he had once affirmed that it was good we with him had had reason to admire if he had only cried out How good But seeing he cannot comprehend the goodnes of it in that he adds Oh how good I will doe as that Painter who was to decipher the sorrow of a Father for the losse of his sonne who because he was not able to delineate it drew the curtaine ouer him and left the spectators to conceiue what hee was not possible to pourtray forth with his Pencill This one bare assertion of Dauid Good it is might haue admitted doubt his acclamation How good might haue receiued answer among the exceptious But his Behold how good implieth that either he himselfe was not able to comprehend How good it is or hauing onely a glimpse of the goodnesse of it he cals all to take a view of the excellency of such an heauenly blessing whereby men doe most resemble the euer-blessed Trinity imitate the state of the glorious Angels and glorified Saints pleasant to God who is delighted with it profitable to men who are enriched by it with spirituall graces and all sorts of goodnesse And though men cannot liuely expresse what it is yet considering what the Prophet Dauid saith they may conceiue what it is like out of Dauids mouth It is like the pretious oyntment vpon the head that ran downe vpon the beard euen Aarons beard that went downe to the skirts of his garments It is like the dew of Hermon which fell vpon the hill of Sion The Oyle wherewith Aaron was anointed was made for that purpose by Gods appointment The blessings which vnitie bringeth are prepared in heauen and conferred as God appointeth The Oyle wherewith Aaron was anointed ranne from the head to the beard from the beard to the skirts of his cloathing That blessing which vnitie bringeth falleth vpon the highest and runneth along to the middle sort till it come to the lowest and meanest of Gods people and rests not till euery one be partakers of it That Oyle wherewith Aaron was annointed was powred out while it is kept in the boxe none receiueth any benefit nor are delighted in it but when it is powred out the sauour is perceiued and those that partake it are thirsting after it as is seene by what the Spouse saith to Christ Can. 1.2 Thy loue is better than wine why ô thou beloued dost thou so conceit it Because of the sauour of thy good ointments But how camest thou to take notice of their goodnesse Thy name is an oyntment powred out ver 3. Oh that I knew where this oliue branch might be plucked from the roote of the feare of God there it is growing I will giue them saith the Lord one heart and one way that they may feare me Jer. 32.39 Feare is the beginning of wisdome and wisdome is the cause of vnity For demand of the Apostle Paul what hee meanes by walking worthy of their calling and he will tell them one part of it among others is this Ephes 4. their endeuour to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace Aske him againe how this worthy walking may be obtained and he will
misery which will moue them in affection to flye vnto him yet the same Prophet in the same Psalme testifieth to the Lord himselfe that his flesh trembled for feare of him and he was afraid of his iudgements and by his actions as well as words declared that hee conceiued Gods iustice to be a iust cause why euery man should feare him for though before in all ioy and with such solemnity as testified the delight of his heart he was bringing into his owne City the Arke 2 Sam. 6.9 yet as soone as Vzzah was strucke dead he durst not aduenture to bring it any further but desisted though it were the testimony of the Lords presence thus both iustice and mercy are the causes either of them of both loue and feare and as the Lord doth adorne the heart with his feare so hee doth enrich the soule with his loue as the Word by his promises drawes our affections to him so the same Word by his threatnings causeth vs to stand in awe of him we may see them both then growing vpon the same ground and vnited in their causes No lesse in their companions For as seruing of the Lord is required where the fearing of him is enioyned Deut. 10.12 so the louing of him is prescribed where his seruice is commanded Feare must haue with it walking in his waies and walking in his waies may not bee without loue as there is required the keeping of the Commandements by them that loue him so there is a delighting in his Commandements by them that feare him Where as true society and sociable vnity for the greater increase of mutuall comfort will seeke to settle and solace themselues in the same and that a selected place so these graces will be lodged in the same and that a peculiar Cabinet For both these pearles are not found together in euery Fountaine both these Gems are not digged together out of euery ground both these flowers are not growing together in euery Garden for in the hearts onely of Gods children are they both harboured in the soules onely of Gods Saints are they both nourished in the affections onely of the Lords elect are they both planted Caine Esau and Iudas had a kind of feare but false for they wanted loue the Pharisies and Simon Magus had a kind of loue but counterfeit for they wanted feare if the former had had loue they had desired and desiring expected Gods grace if the other had had feare they would haue neglected their owne respect and haue sought for and aimed at Gods glory they all wanted both true feare and loue for of the one sort the hearts were enuious and they despaired which loue entertaines not of the other the Spirits were vaine-glorious and they presumed which feare admits not Neither let it seeme strange that feare and loue whose very names imply a great diuersity in their natures should with an vnanime consent lodge in the same breast seeing the bitter Rue and the sweet Fig-tree draw moisture in the same ground the solitary Turtle and the sociable Doue must bee offered in the same sacrifice Feare that seemeth to bee bitter in the obiects threatnings and iudgements and solitary in the operation trembling and being ashamed to appeare in presence and Loue which is sweet in its proper obiects promises and goodnesse and pleasing in the effects hope and boldnesse to approach the Throne of grace flowing from one heart as the Lords Altar are as incense in his acceptation For they act one and the selfe same thing though diuers waies in the soule of man For let it be granted which cannot be denied that Loue vniteth Dauid will affirme that Feare knitteth the heart vnto the Lord. Let it bee auerred Psa 86.11 that Loue willingly heareth Zephany dare assure any who shall make scruple of it that Feare is not altogether slacke to receiue Zeph. 3.7 instruction Will Loue prie into the secrets of the party loued to be partaker of them Feare is as obseruant of and as loth to want those mysteries which the party feared hath reserued for it Loue woundeth the soule when it sees Gods fauour and Feare woundeth the spirit in beholding his displeasure Loue inflameth the desire to doe what it knowes is acceptable and Feare sets on fire the affections to consume what it conceiues to be abhominable Loue humbleth a man seeing the greatnesse of the beloueds mercy and Feare casteth downe the pride of minde in viewing the glory of the feareds Maiestie together with the number of its owne offences Loue as the fiery piller guides in the night of aduersity Feare as the Cloud giues directions to our paths in the day of prosperity Loue mitigateth the sorrow which feare had caused and Feare qualifieth that ioy which Loue produced Feare as Rew tempereth Loues Figge-like sweetnesse lest it should passe the golden Meane and become vnpleasing and Loue as the Figge-tree moderateth Feares Rew-like bitternesse that it exceed not its equall measure and be made vnprofitable As for their effects Exod. 20. is Gods mercy shewed to thousands of them that loue him it is no lesse from generation to generation on them Luke 1.50 that feare him Deut. 30.16 Is Feare made partaker of his blessings Loue communicateth of his bounty Is Life the promised recompence of Loue Death shall not bee the allotted reward of feare Doth Loue indue the heart with abundance of celestiall grace Esay 33.6 Feare is a treasure to enrich the whole man with all good Doth Feare make man acceptable vnto God Acts 10.30 Loue makes him at least as gratious with him Doth Loue prouide for posterity Feare leaues not the succession in calamity if any either temporall spirituall or eternall good attend vpon the one it likewise becomes a follower of the other so like they are in their effects There is as mutuall a conspiring betweene them in their generall and particular opposites For as displeasing of the Lord is auoided by Loue so offending of him is abhorred by Feare Will not Loue cleaue to Heathenish either workes or worship Jos 23.11 12.16 2 Kin. 17.35 36 Feare will fly from heathenish both confederacy and Idolatrie Feare hateth presumption as the Serpent the Ashe tree and Loue shunneth rashnesse as the Scorpion Aconitum Iosiah durst not disobey when hee heard what was threatned nor Dauid presume when hee saw what was inflicted 1 Chron. 13.12 for they were withheld by Feare The Disciples would not molest their Master Matt. 8.24 25. till there was no hope of safety because they were bridled by Loue as the Church would not suffer any to awaken her Spouse in signe of her affection Cant. 3.5 Feare participating of the nature of the Lion which is terrible loatheth a putrified denne and loue which communicateth in property with the Doue which is louing shunneth a foule cottage such is their sympathie in respect of their opposites Now for their conditions Wee cannot but