EVery thing hath its turne and time, Eccles. 3.1. yea time giues to euery thing its [...], inso­much as man him­selfe neuer continu­eth in one stay: Iob. 14.2. the truth whereof no glasse can better shew than the Psalmes: for in them wee may liuely behold the variable and mutable condition of man, though neuer so neere in affection or deare in estimation vnto God: in them Dauid that anointed of [Page 2]the Lord, Psal. 107.26. (and in him all Gods chosen) may be seene in this life, as the Ship in the Sea; in estate and respect euen now lifted vp to the clouds sayling with a pleasant gale, in the calme of prosperity, and by and by let downe to the bot­tome with the impetuous violence of the blast of one or other calamitie in soule and spirit; sometimes soaring with the wings of hope aboue the heauens, and againe plunged as low as hell with the weight of distrust, through some disaster either inflicted or feared. Whence proceed such and so sundry va­rieties of expressing, in diuers of them, his owne hopes and feares, comforts and corasiues, solace and sorrowes, re­straints and deliuerances. But in this Psalme, he stands as it were in the view of all vpon the worlds Theater, and sounds in the eares of all a Diapason, whiles warbling vpon his harpe, hee toucheth the string of euery passion. For he powreth out his praier with instan­cy, in the first and second verses; gathe­reth [Page 3]assured hope in the third; and yet as one not fully freed from feare, nor dis­possest of hope, returnes againe to prai­er, and giues the reason of his assurance in the third, fourth, and fift; pleadeth in expresse termes, his holy affection and confidence which hee had in the time past, in the sixt; publisheth his resolute purpose of gladnesse and reioycing in the time to come, by reason of the Lords fauour already shewed, as one forget­full and not fearing any present misery, in the seuen and eighth. Yet on the sud­den, calling, as it seemes, to minde, the trouble and danger he was then in, re­neweth his suit, which is pressed and amplified with relating by way of complaint, sundry miseries and indig­nities which he doth endure, and for­merly had vndergone, to the fourteenth; in which miseries and indignities, he re­ports what was and is his trust and pati­ence, in the fourteenth and fifteenth; and that againe is seconded with another supplication, in the fifteenth and six­teenth; [Page 4]as also with an imprecation, in the seuenteenth and eighteenth; after both which without interruption, as the Riuer in a cleare channell into the O­cean, he falleth into an admiring excla­mation, for the greatnesse of Gods good­nesse, towards them that feare, and trust in him, in the nineteenth; together with a reason of that his admiration, in the twentieth; from thence hee comes to giue thanks for a kindnesse, whereof the Lord had made him partaker in his owne particular, in some extraordinary manner, and that in a strong Citie. Ei­ther Ierusalem which Absolom had surpri­sed, 2 Sam. 18.19. and where Achitophels counsell by Hushaies, to his preseruation was delu­ded, Iansen. Lorinus. 2 Sam. 30. as some; or Ziglag, where the peo­ple were in minde to stone him, and the spoiles whereof he recouered, Arias. 1 Sam. 19. as other; or Keilah which Saul purposed to haue besieged, and to whom the citizens thereof, as the Lords, Oracle reuealed, had deliuered him if there he had staied, as the most imagine. Howsoeuer, or in [Page 5]what citie soeuer, Dauid is mindfull of that mercy, and thankfull for that be­nefit, in such termes as iustly giues me occasion to thinke vpon Salomon his sonne.

Salomon the mirror of men, 2 Sam. 12.25. the belo­ued of the Lord, not liked as a seruant, John 8.35. but beloued as a Sonne that abides in the house for euer, built a glorious Temple to the God of Israel, and diuided it into three parts. The first or outmost was Atrium Populi, the court of the people, called o­therwise the Porch of Salomon; the next was Atrium Sacerdotum, the place for the Priests; the third and inmost was San­ctum Sanctorum, the Holy of Holies. When I see these words of Dauid, I sur­uey that worke of Salomon, and hearing this warbling tune of the Father, I be­hold that worthy Temple of the Sonne. For if we looke for that part which con­cernes all, it is here in the Author, He, who maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and the good, Matt. 5.45. and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust. Would we see what concernes [Page 6]those that are sequestrated to his ser­uice, and linked to him by a neerer bond, as are all faithfull, who being a royall Priest-hood, Pet. 2.9. enioy a rarer priuiledge than others? here we find it. All haue not the Lords mercy manifested to them as had Dauid; or if it be made apparant to them, yet are not they made partakers of it, as was this anointed of the Lord. He shewed me, that is, made me partaker of. Long you to see that which Titus Vespasi­an desired, Ioseph. de bel. Iud. l. 6. c. 10. nay commanded to be espe­cially preserued from the fury of the fire, the Sanctum Sanctorum into which the High Priest must enter, Heb. 9.7. yet not oftner than once in the space of a whole yeere, such was the glory of it, and that it signified. Here is the like maruellous kindnesse in a strong City; whereof Dauid is partaker but once in all his life, as is very probable; for this mercy, in this manner, was but once conferred, seeing it is no where else in the same phrase remembred.

This then is a portion of Scripture, e­uery word whereof hath his worth, eue­ry [Page 7]circumstance his weight, and presen­teth vnto our meditations Dauids grati­tude, Blessed be the Lord, and the Lords great goodnesse towards him, He hath shewed me his maruellous kindnesse in a strong City. In dilating of both which, though we may perfectly discouer the branches before we can discerne the tree; yet we know that the roote and bole is in respect of time before the branches, and when we perceiue the effect and consequence, we must needs presuppose a preceding cause: So howsoeuer Dauids thankfulnesse be the first expressed, yet it must needs be granted that the Lords kindnesse was the first extended, and therefore with­out preiudice to that order which is here vsed in the expressing of both these acts, for my more methodicall proceeding, and your better profiting, Let the Lords kindnesse be the first subiect of my speech, and the first obiect of your attentions, because it was the first in action. For first, the Lord shewed his kindnesse, and then, Dauid testified his Thankfulnesse. In the Lords kindnesse obserue three cir­cumstances. [Page 8]First, the Agent, He. Se­condly, the Act, what this He did, He shewed. Thirdly, the acts obiect, what he shewed, kindnesse. First of the agent He; that is, the Lord: here is the first court of the Temple, wherein I no soo­ner set my foot, but on the sudden so rare a Maiesty is vnueiled in my sight, as my minde is amazed, and my feet so fettered that I cannot moue till I glance at the properties of that glorious Person, on whom if we cast our eyes, wee may behold in him not onely the winter of sharpe seuerity, but also the summer of cheering clemency. Wee may see as well a dimple in his cheeke, cheereful­ly fauoring, as a wrinckle in his brow seuerely frowning: For this He, though he had before smitten as a Foe, yet now doth he smile as a Father. This He, ha­uing drawne a foggy veile ouer his face, shewed a cloudy countenance, and yet remouing that veile againe, manifesteth a gracious looke. This He now altoge­ther refresheth Dauids languishing spi­rits [Page 9]with a comfortable calme, who a lit­tle before had almost ouerturned his soule with a tempestuous storme; For he said in his sudden apprehension of his danger, wherein he iustly was, through his sinne, I am cast out of thy sight. Vers. 22. So that in the Lord are indifferently seated as in their proper subiect two different properties, Mercy and Iustice, and by him are indifferently execu­ted two diuers workes, Seuerity and Clemency. As is partly shadowed in the creatures, plainly shewed in the sacred Scriptures, by his workes demonstrated, in reason may bee confirmed, by all must be con­fessed.

Shadowed in the creatures: Thinke not much by things created, to learne the knowledge of their Creator, For Prae­sentem narrat quaelibet herba D [...]um, Euery plant represents Gods presence. There is no creature though most contempti­ble, but either his vnsearchable wis­dome, or his vnresistable power, or the all-warming Sunne of his goodnesse, or the all-seeing eye of his prouidence; One [Page 10]or other of his ineffable properties is lesse or more shadowed in it. And as we may finde the Fountaine by the Riuer, and the Spring by the Streame, so wee may attaine at the least a glance at, and see with Moses the hinder parts of the Lord by his workes. For the inuisible things of God from the creation of the world are cleerely seene, being vnderstood by the things that are made, euen his eternall power and Godhead, as Saint Paul affirmeth. Rom. 1.20. And therefore aptly is Seculum called Speculum, this worlds Globe termed a looking-glasse. And not without cause doth Iob send vs to the senselesse creatures to learne our lessons concerning him. Ch. 12. ver. 7, 8. Aske (saith he) the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the Fowles of the Heauen, and they shall tell vnto thee: or speake to the earth, and it shall shew thee; or the fishes of the Sea, and they shall de­clare vnto thee: euen this amongst other, that as the Lion hath his paw to impri­son, his voice to terrifie, and his teeth to teare his prey, yet withall commisera­teth [Page 11]the woes of the prostrate, and suffe­reth no rauenous beast to touch that which he hath vndertaken to protect: So the Lion of the Tribe of Iuda can as well encounter his foes with terrour, Reu. 5.5. as entertaine his friends in fauour. As the Eagle hath his talents to strike, and his wings to shadow, so the Lord hath his threats to chastise, and his fauours to encourage. As the Leopard hath come­ly spots to delight as well as a crooked countenance to affright: and as whom the beautifull skinne of the Panther al­lureth to fancy, his speed and cruell pur­suit admonisheth to feare; so the Lord hath a terrible countenance to beget a dread of his might, and varietie of mer­cies to breed a delight in his Maiesty, and whomsoeuer the beames of his bounty cannot warme in affection, the flames of his fury shall pursue to destru­ction. But if the creatures be not suffici­ent trumpeters of this truth, because they in part doe only shadow it, let vs heare the sacred Scriptures, as Heauens Heralds [Page 12]proclaiming it as vndeniable, for they plainly shew it. Sometimes drawing our eyes to view the Lord seated on a white Iuory Throne of Maiesty, with eyes sparkling forth nothing but signes of fauour, with a tongue pronouncing words of comfort, to raise vp the deie­cted soule, and refresh the wearied spirit, with lips divulging promises in their due time certainly to be performed, to confirme the wauering mind, and make resolute the inconstant and vnresolued man, with armes stretched out ready to imbrace those that in reuerence ap­proach vnto him, and with a counte­nance assuring the freenesse of his grace, and the firmnesse of his goodnesse: som­times descending from his Throne of excellency, to examine the truth of trans­gressions cry, and see the sinnes of man before he strike, as a mercifull Iudge vn­willing to condemne the accused, till the euidence be too cleere against him, and loth to put the sword of Iustice into the Executioners hand till the prisoners [Page 13]fault be palpably proued; but on the contrary, when the clamour of impiety is iustly apparant, and punishment is de­clared to be sinnes desert, they present him exalted on a sable seat, and set vpon wraths tribunall, eyes darting out flames of fury, mouth threatning certaine mi­sery, hands casting downe fire and brim­stone, storme and tempest, and a coun­tenance menacing the furiousnesse of his wrath, and the fulnesse of the diso­bedients woe: Somtimes they call him a consuming fire, Heb. 12.29. Psal. 31.3. to imply the greatnes of his displeasure, and a Fortresse to de­cipher the firmnesse of his fauour: Som­times they compare him to a Lion roa­ring for his prey, and a Lionesse robbed of her whelpes, pointing at his fury; to a tender mother comforting her childe, and a pittifull father compassionating his owne bowels, painting out his mer­cy: Sometimes saying, that he is dread­full, yet to be delighted in; fearefull, yet fauourable; terrible euen to the Kings of the earth, and yet tender carrying his [Page 14]children vpon Eagles wings, farre and free from any danger, as loth to haue them harmed as the Apple of his owne eye hurt. A God of wrath with his Bow bent, Arrowes ready, and Weapons pre­pared, and yet a Sun to solace, & a Shield to shelter those that are afflicted. Truly therefore did the sweet singer of Israel concerning him warble vpon his Harpe, Mercy and Truth are met together, Righteous­nesse and Peace haue kissed each other: For this is demonstrated by his works of both Mercy and Iustice, wheresoeuer for the place, on whomsoeuer for the persons manifested.

For the place, whether in Heauen, Earth, or Hell. In Heauen the persisting of the good Angels, the ioyes prepared there for these blessed Saints, who yet continue in their fleshly Tabernacles, and enioyed there by those happy, euer happy soules, who in him haue re­moued from their earthly mansions, re­sound his mercy: In Heauen, his thence expelling the backsliding Angels, and [Page 15]excluding out the cursed crue, blazon his Iustice: for his retinue in Heauen, a­bide in their created condition by his goodnesse, his redeemed on earth are re­stored to their former farre firmer felici­ty through his grace, and the hellish re­probates are for their disobedience left altogether frustrate of any hope of Hea­uens happinesse in his anger.

In earth the seating of Adam before his fall, as Soueraigne Viceroy, and Lord Lieutenant ouer all his other creatures in Paradise a place of pleasure, ready and fully furnished with all things to satis­fie the minde and sustaine the body: af­ter his fall, the fatherly calling, fauoura­ble conuenting, mild examining of him; nay his prouiding, euen publishing the remedy to redresse his ruines, Adam not so much as dreaming of, much lesse de­siring, least of all endeuoring any, dictate his Clemency. But the sharpe inflicted censure vpon the serpent perswading, and our first parents perpetrating that Act of disobedience, their then present [Page 16]and for euer after perpetuall exile so duly deserued, from that place so greatly abu­sed, declare his seuerity.

In hell the worme of conscience gnawing, the firie flame scorching, dark­nesse molesting the eies, howling and gnashing of teeth possessing the eares, bitternesse and vnquenchable thirst of­fending the taste, sulphurious stench in­festing the smell, endlesse, easelesse, re­medilesse paines, surprising the touch. To conclude in one word, what must be continued beyond all worlds, and is not to be expressed by any words; sor­row without solace, mourning without melody, grieuous pangs without the least gladding pleasure; paint out his fu­ry: yet euen there this doth point at his fauour; that hee might at this present more seuerely punish them, seeing by an infinite Maiestie offended, by an incom­prehensible deity disobeyed, an endlesse torment might duly be exacted, an vn­speakable torture might iustly be infli­cted, as well for the greatnesse as the con­tinuance [Page 17]of the punishment, as soone as the transgression was committed.

In that then their miseries are not more nor their sufferings more vnsufferable; as yet is extended mercy towards those who are altogether miserable, so as if we consider the place, the Lord is seene both in heauen, earth, and hell, neither whol­ly depriued of pitty, nor fully possessed with displeasure. The same wee may note in him, if we glance at the persons on whom his workes of Iustice and Mercy are executed, whether we suruey their diuersity or Identity.

The persons diuersity, the Lord being mercifull to one at that time when he is iust to another, & contrarily against one furious, when to another he is fauou­rable. Thus when his wrathfull power made way to his indignation vtterly to consume Sodome and Gomorrha, Gen. 19. at the same instant his mercifull Prouidence found out a path safely to conuey Lot and his family: In like manner when his mercy staied the furious waters of the [Page 18]Red sea, Exod. 14. for deliuering his chosen Israel, his rage burst out by the same waters ouer the banks of that mercy and drow­ned the Egyptians. The Lord as the Sun withdrawing his presence and light from one Nation, at the same season di­sperseth the comfort of his raies vpon another region; and as the fire hath a diuers operation, extending its heate to things of different qualities, softning hard wax, and hardning soft clay in the same moment yet herein the Creator ex­ceeds these creatures, that he workes di­uersly vpon the same subiect, being both iust and mercifull, mercifull and iust vnto men, considered in the Iden­titie of their persons, where without re­spect of, or relation to any other, the same man is the obiect of his actions, be he bad or good.

The bad haue children at their de­sire, leaue their substance for their babes their Tabernacles doe prosper, Iob 12.6. and they themselues are in safety, who prouoke God; their bellies are filled with his rich [Page 19]treasure, their riches doe so increase, Psal. 37.4. and their wealth commeth on so fast, in their life is such a seeming blisse, and in their death no bands; that they doe euen what they list, they are rauished with delight, passe their daies in iollity, make feasts like Kings, drinke their Wine in bowles, and stretch their bulks vpon beds of Iuory; in this to them is exten­ded Gods fauour, but either in that in­stant they are besotted with a forgetful­nesse of Gods mercies, sacrificing to their owne nets, and of others miseries, not thinking of, Hab. 1.16. or not caring for the affli­ction of Ioseph or they are in the same mo­ment arested with a sudden feare, as the rich man in the Gospell, or they are pre­sently attached with a senslesse despaire, as Nabal, or at the last, howsoeuer long first, they are summoned to a dreadfull sentence as Diues; so that as truly said Sa­lomon, that long-experienced much-ob­seruing King, Prou. 14.13. either in laughing their hearts are sorrowfull, or their mirth doth end in mourning, either their inward griefes are [Page 20]vshered with outward gladnesse, or their temporall prosperity attended on with eternall misery, the one whereof in them is a badge of Gods louing boun­ty, the other the very cognizance of the Lords iust punishing equitie. But doe the bad only beare the badges of mercy and misery? is he not also as well a Li­on as a Lambe to the good, before, in, after their conuersion? Yes surely.

Before their conuersion as they dif­fer not from the wicked in vnworthi­nesse, so neither are they altogether free from the signes and suffering of his wrath, threatnings sounding in their eares, hell gnawing on their soules, iudgement seasing on them and theirs, whereby they cannot but discerne him iust. Yet in that he is so patient in wai­ting for, so diligent in working of their conuersion, Esa. 65.2. spreading his hands out early and late towards them, who are as yet rebellious, deluing and digging about, Luc. 13.8. dunging & prui­ning of those trees, which as yet are fruit­lesse, presenting himselfe to them in loue, [Page 21]who absent themselues from him in dis­loyalty, intreating and wooing them, whom as a father his sonnes, he might command; as a Soueraigne his subiects, he might inioine; or a Lord his vassals, he might compell, they cannot towards them not behold him mercifull before their conuersion.

Note now the Echo of my accent in resounding his mercy and iustice, in the very moment of his childrens change, then he lets them see themselues plunged in the deuouring sea of their sinnes, fet­tered in the Giues of their transgressi­ons, seruants to the rigour of the Law, subiect to eternall death, and slaues to the vnsatiable tyranny of Satan, which being seene with feare is felt with sor­row, for hereby their consciences do a­wake, awakening accuse, accusing ar­raigne, conuict, condemne them of vn­kindnesse to so good, of rebellion to so great a God: then their hearts boile with throbs, the sire of remorse is kindled in their soules, and the flames breake out [Page 22]at their mouthes, or at least is signified to be there by their sighs, for either the tongue, or the heart in the tongues si­lence, cryeth out with the leprous, I am vncleane, Len. 13.45. I am vncleane: and with the A­postle Paul, Rom. 7.20. Wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the body of this death? Thus hee appeares vnto them in the shape of a terrible Lion, but lest they bee circumuented or too much endangered, hee presently binds vp these wounds, stops and staies these dangerous issues, tendreth them a plaister compacted of his owne mercies and his Sonnes me­rits, a salue compounded of his bounty and their Sauiours bloud, and withall so inlightneth their vnderstanding, that they looking vpon his good pleasure, ap­prehend a possibility of their pardon, he appeares in the meeknesse of a lambe. In that therefore hee brings them by the mouth of Hell to the gates of Heauen, causing them to condemne themselues, lest they should bee condemned with the world, 1 Cor. 11.31. then offring them the meanes [Page 23]of their amendment, the occasion of their better change, when hee might iustly leaue them in their misery, and passe by them weltring in their polluted bloud; then reuealing to them his grace, Ezech. 16.6. when hee might righteously conceale from them his goodnesse; then presen­ting them with a pardon, when hee might duly inflict vpon them punish­ment, yet so as first the horrour of their sinnes must seise vpon their soules, and the hainousnesse of their iniquities set vpon their consciences that deepe im­pression of their deserts, which afterward can bee defaced by no power but his owne spirit: hee is iust and mercifull, mercifull and iust, to the good in the ve­ry instant of their change, neither is hee otherwise after their change, and in the continuance of their conuersion: For sinners hating their apparant holi­nesse, and Satan enuying their prepared happinesse, assault the Fortresse of their faith, batter the Castle of their confi­dence, vndermine the Bulwarkes of their obedience, and deface the Towers of [Page 24]their conuersation: all which being built and semented with the rubbish of old corruption, admit many breaches, the Lust of the flesh, 1 Iohn 2.16. the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life: carnall pleasures, coueted profits, enchanting vanities, are as decei­uing baites, whereon their flesh as the lit­tle fish too often greedily feedeth, and their corruption as Tinder with these sparkes of Hell are set on fire; and thus becomming sinners, they suffer; being to corruption affected, with crosses they are afflicted; and tainted with pollution, are touched with punishment. There is the Lords iustice. Yet in that they are infested, lest they should be more in­fected; in that their miseries are mixt with ioyes, and moderated according to what they are able to beare; in that their suffrings are seasoned with heauens salt, and salued with an happy successe, they either taken from their trials, or their tribulation remoued from them; in that grace, in the midst of misery, is pre­serued in them, and glory, notwithstan­ding [Page 25]all calamity is reserued for them, is manifest his mercy: Doe then the good after their conuersion feele out­ward sorrow when they perceiue in­ward solace, and are they perplexed with outward crosses as well as replenished with inward comforts? though they be euer seized of many graces, doe they yet suffer many grieuances, and is not the Lord euen to them iust and mercifull? iust he is, not freeing corruption from calamity, mercifull he is, not leauing tri­bulation in perplexity.

Thus it is demonstrated by his works of mercy and iustice, whether we looke on the place where, or the persons on whom they are executed, that the Lord as well beares a knife to cut, as brings a salue to cure, and hath as well a heart to raise vp as a hand to cast downe.

Let vs now attempt to confirme the same, by reason taken from those absur­dities which must be granted if this bee denied, whether wee consider him, our selues, or others. In him his attributes [Page 26]or his office are disparaged. The Attri­butes which should adde oyle to this Lampe, and make the light of this truth shine more cleerely, are his liberty, his omnipotency, his verity; but his liberty is abridged, his omnipotency obscured, his verity falsified, if either the mercy or the iustice of the Lord bee excluded, his liberty is abridged. For if wee say he is all mercy, how is not his word control­led, his will violently carried against it selfe with the inundations of the sinnes of men, which not only in this world, he must necessarily be content to winke at, but also in the world to come willing­ly entertaine? If he be all mercy, those who are knowne to him to be branded in conscience, & to the Deuils to be mar­ked in conuersation with the curse of hel, must by him be acknowledged to haue right to, and be made partakers of the blisse of Heauen. On the contrary side, if he be all Iustice, how is not the same will of his enforced to leaue those hope­lesse, for whom hee had purposed, to [Page 27]whom he hath promised happinesse? If he had beene all Iustice, he had left in the pawes of Satan, that roaring deuou­ring Lion, those who are redeemed by the precious bloud of his Sonne that im­maculate Lambe. Ioh. 3.8. The winde bloweth where it listeth, and the winds Creator worketh as him liketh, doing as saies the Prophet Dauid, what pleaseth him in heauen and earth, and in the depths, which hee could not doe if he were not free: Now confessing him to be free, wee must ac­knowledge him to bee both iust and mercifull, or else his liberty is abridged; and besides, a Cloud is cast ouer his pow­er, & his Omnipotency is obscured, see­ing he must either suffer what he would not, or not doe what he should. Lib. 5. de ciu. Dei cap. 10. Now Di­citur omnipotens faciendo quod vult, non pati­endo quod non vult, saies Saint Augustine. To doe what he will, paints out Omni­potency: to suffer what hee will not, points at impotency. Take away his iu­stice, and he must suffer the blaspheming of his name, the violating of his lawes, [Page 28]the contempt of his commands with­out all remedy. An earthly Commander shall reuenge the least offered indignity, and Heauens Creator shall not be able to redresse, but must endure the highest, the most hainous blasphemy. Take a­way his mercy, a worldly Monarch shall aduance his Fauorite, a meane Lord ex­alt a well deseruing seruant, a poore fa­ther gratifie a truly obedient sonne, but he by whom Princes reigne shall not conferre dignity on those in whom his soule delighteth; nor the Lord of Lords reward his seruants diligence; nor the Father of all that is called Father in hea­uen or earth, countenance his Childs o­bedience. Take away iustice, hee who fetters the Nobles in linkes of iron, and breaks in peeces the Princes of the earth, as a Potters vessell, shall himselfe be lin­ked in the chaines of impiety, because he cannot punish iniquity. Take away mer­cy, he who moueth mans heart to pitty, openeth mens eares to attend, strengthe­neth mans hands to aid them who are [Page 29]in misery, shall haue his owne heart so benummed, that he cannot commise­rate; his owne eares so shut, that he can­not heare, and his owne arme so short­ned, that he cannot reach them who are in calamitie. But there is no Lord which liues not vnder his law, either obeying what he enioyneth, or enduring what he inflicteth. There is no honour or dishonour, but is receiued from his hand, either as a gratious signe of his loue, or as the deserued successe of dis­loyalty, which he disposeth as power­fully without resistance, as freely with­out respect. Is he then destitute of ei­ther Iustice or Mercy? far be that con­ceit from our cogitations, for it is the falsifying of his verity, both in his pro­mises and in his threatnings. His gratious promises are as Sugar sweet­ning euery suffering, as hony deligh­ting euery Sinne-distempered taste, as Triacle driuing corruption from the soule; as Goats bloud softning an Adamantine heart, his gratious promi­ses [Page 30]giue a Supersedeas against the band of Law, proclaime a writ of priuiledge from the Arrest of death, and sue out a Writ of Error, to reuerse the doome of condemnation, passed against sin in the court of conscience. Yet let this be gran­ted, that God is only iust and not merci­full, the minde cannot but conceiue, the vnderstanding must needs assume, and reason will necessarily conclude, that all his faire promises are but bare pretences, Sinne and Despaire sitting at the helme; Contrarily threatnings are the terror of the Soule, the trouble of the thoughts, the awakening of the drowsie threat­nings, turne Sendall into Sackloth, cast crownes of gold downe among the dust, and aduance dust as a more golden ornament for the head. Threatnings as bitter potions, purge the superfluous humors of impietie; and as fire the wax, prepareth the heart to receiue the im­pression of Gods spirit; yet if God bee wholly mercifull and not iust, will not the soule surmise them to bee clouds [Page 31]without raine, Scorpions without stings, and lesse to be feared than a thun­derclap in another horizon, security and presumption hoising the sayles. But now though heauen and earth shall passe, though the glorious Fabricke of the worlds Globe shall be wrapped to­gether as a Scrole, yet not one tittle of his word shall faile: what hee promised in mercy, shall be performed in clemen­cy, and what hee threatned in iustice shall bee executed in seueritie, the free­nesse of his will, the greatnesse of his power, the certainty of his truth, his libertie, omnipotency, verity, all and euery of them, iointly and seuerally, doe conuince, that the Lord as well holds out the blacke Ensigne of war, as the White colours of peace.

Or else to come to his office, how should he bee Iudge of all the world. There are three properties in a Iudge, which should be as inseparable to him, as heat is to the fire, moisture to the aire, drinesse to the earth, coldnesse to the wa­ter, [Page 32]that he Heare indifferently, Examine di­ligently, determine vnpartially, which pro­per duties cannot be performed, if ei­ther seuerity be swallowed vp of cle­mency, or clemency choaked with se­uerity. Now howsoeuer God seeing the hearts and reines, discerning the secretest thoughts and intentions, to whom all things are naked, needes not to listen, listening to labour by due sifting to winnow out the truth, yet in passing sen­tence he is to deale vnpartially. Shall the Iudge of the world not doe right; and yet when the Sheepe and Goats, Wolues and Lambes, the Children of light and imps of darknesse, those who beare on their soules his owne stampe, and those on whose hearts Satan may see the writing of his owne hand, shall stand before him to heare their seuerall doomes, being all mercy hee must ab­solue the wicked, and be [...]ng all Iustice, he cannot saue the godly, and so he must necessarily passe a partiall and vnrigh­teous iudgement, who is holy in all his [Page 33]waies, and righteous in all his workes; Iust when hee speaketh, and pure when he iudgeth; whom neither malice can iustly maligne, nor Error shall euer bee able to blemish with absurdity, neither in regard of his office, or his attributes, wherewith Satan would inueigle vs, by blinding our minde with this miscon­ceit, that the Lord is either onely merci­full, to cause presumption, or only Iust, to enforce despaire. But if he were only iust and not mercifull, the first Adam had either not sinned, or hauing sinned, had continued in vanity: if only merci­full and not iust, the second Adam had either not died or died in vaine: If hee were not a God of anger, feare were vn­necessarie; If not a God of fauour, faith a fancy: our tribulations should be end­lesse, if he only frowning; our sufferings fruitlesse, if not fauourable. What wipes our teares from our eies, puts them in his bottle, registers them in his booke? not his mercy? What heares the sighes of the soule, the groaning of the spirit, and [Page 34]the crying of the heart? not his mercy? What preserues our hands from acting, our eies from beholding, our feet from following vanitie? not his mercy? Mer­cy is the marke whereat our mourning aimeth; Mercy is the limit where our sorrow boundeth; Mercy is that Ocean where our misery endeth. To no pur­pose should we grieue if the Lord were not good, to no end should we sorrow if he were not gracious. On the contra­rie, what is that in him which heareth our impieties? the eares of his iustice: What is that in him which espieth our vanities? the eyes of his iustice: What is that in him which punisheth our iniqui­ties? the hand of his iustice. To no ef­fect should we feare spirituall death, if he be not righteous; in vaine should wee flye from eternall danger, if he be not ri­gorous: If he were not both iust and mercifull, mercifull and iust, caution to preuent sinne were a needlesse care; care to perfect sanctity an vnnecessary cora­siue; either of which not to iudge most [Page 35]necessary in our selues, is an horrible ab­surdity, from which we could not bee freed in iudging of others, if wee were once perswaded that the Lord is not ei­ther to be drawne to punish, or not to be induced to pity: For should we not condemne the generation of the iust, in powring out their prayers to preuent his wrath, sending forth their supplica­tions to obtaine his blessings? doubtlesse we should not but account their desires of feruency but friuolous, and their deeds of fidelity to be superfluous, which ab­surdity sometime preserued Dauid from a dangerous error, and brought him in­to Gods Sanctuary; where wee may learne this, as he did the like, that the Lord doth both ascend the throne of Iu­stice, and sit in the seat of Mercy, vnlesse in contempt of him, iniury to our selues, iniustice towards others, we deny him of freedome, power and truth, robbing our selues of faith, feare, and obedience, disrobing those who are good of their holy hope, and hoped for happinesse, [Page 36]vnlesse wee shake hands with the bad, whose conuersation expresse their minds corruption, and their manners testifie the peruersnesse of their opinion, and conceit Heauens happinesse to be a ficti­on of poesie, and hels horror to be only a fable of policy: blasphemies, abomina­ble blasphemies once to bee imagined. We will acknowledge him to be a God abundant in goodnesse and mercy, and yet not making the wicked innocent, as by all must be confessed: For if any might pleade altogether for Gods mer­cy, then Iesus Christ his sonne the engra­uen image of his substance participa­ting of his owne essence, equall in might and maiesty with himselfe, doing nothing which might offend him, all things appointed by him, his begotten, onely begotten, his beloued, best beloued sonne, in whom alone hee is well pleased: yet if he became a pawne for sinne, he must beare the pangues of sorrow; if hee will vndertake the chil­drens faults, he must vndergoe the fa­thers [Page 37]fury, so as though he be preserued because a sonne, he shall be punished as a seruant; though hee shall weare the crowne of glory as a Conquerour, yet first he must beare the brunt of the battel because a Champion: so that Christ can­not but confesse him a God of Iustice. From which, if any other might seeme to be free, then the blessed Angels; or if any might be thought not to partake of mercy, then the infernall and damned spirits: but as the former must acknow­ledge the Lord to be iust, though Iustice in them may seeme to be swallowed vp of mercy, so the latter must confesse the Lord to be mercifull, though mercy in them appeare to be smothered by iustice. For if Iustice be to attribute to euery one his due, and Gods will be the rule of Iu­stice, seeing that he hath purposed and appointed the blessed Angels continu­ance in their created condition, that condition becomes their due, because the Lord is in some sort become their debter, not for their worthinesse, but [Page 38]of his owne good will. Now as to vn­doe that which he hath done, were to blemish his power, to brand him with impotency; so not to continue that which he hath once vnalterably decreed shall be conferred, is in him apparant in­iustice, to them manifest iniury. In that therefore, what he once purposed is still performed, what he once intended is neuer desisted, the continuance of his will is the continuance of his iustice, whereof his will is the Life and Law, to which his will giues birth and being, rule and direction, so as they remaining within the lists of his will, cannot bee without the limits of his Iustice: For see­ing Iustice giueth euery one his due, and it is equall and iust that the Creator should binde the creature, and the crea­ture obey the Creator, in that his com­mands are in force among them, and their obedience performed towards him: the blessed Angels must con­fesse him iust because they may not de­ny vnto him obedience the badge of [Page 39]Iustice, whereby it is discerned as the tree by the fruit, the flower by the smell, the fire by the heat, the seruant by his liue­rie. Therefore as Bernard, De verb. Orig. In coelo so­la vtique iustitia, nihilominus laetitia; so may I say (not against his sense and meaning) though in Heauen there may seeme to be onely ioy, yet there is also iustice, for obedience the Liuery of it is there worne, and Gods will the Rule of it is there working, and howsoeuer mercy is there to them set vp for euer, yet his truth is established in the very Heauens.

But how shall it appeare that his Mer­cie is manifest in any manner or mea­sure, to the damned soules and infernall spirits? As for the damned soules, herein he is good to them, that hee as yet ioy­neth not their bodies with them, to par­take of the same punishment, seeing as the body did increase the sinne of the soule while they were vnited, so the pre­sence of the body in the course of iustice must augment the tortures, sorrowes, and pangs of the soule, so soone as they [Page 40]are againe conioyned. As for the infer­nall spirits, herein his mcrcy towards them is vndeniable, in that their decreed and long since iustly deserued torments are not in the greatest and most grie­uous measure as yet inflicted, as some of themselues seeme to insinuate, and insinuating confesse to our Sauiour while they as it were complaine of and repine against him, Art thou come to torment vs before the time? which is not so to be conceiued, as though they were not now tormented, but that the great­nesse of their torments is for a time de­ferred. Tormented they now are; for can the Malefactor thinke of his doome, and his spirits not be daunted with the thought of death? Perhaps a Malefactor may be either comforted vpon repen­tance, hoping for a better life, or not de­iected, atheistically conceiting, there is hereafter neither better nor worse pre­pared lot: But Satan cleerely appre­hends, and apprehending certainely knowes the sentence that is decreed to [Page 41]passe against him, is as seuere as it is sure, and therefore needs must the horrour of his iudgement for the present greatly perplexe him. Doth the emptinesse of the Lions entrailes make him roare when he wants, and whiles he seekes his prey, and shall we not thinke that hee is pinched? Doth enuy consume the bones, and malice breake out into fury, & shall we not say, that the mind is grie­ued, and the man much vexed? Surely then, Satan through his vnsatiable de­sire alwaies hungry and roaring for his prey, neuer destitute of enuy and malice, 1 Pet. 5.7. in that Gods glory is preserued, Christs Kingdome increased, those who were farre inferiour to him, by created con­dition and constitution, are daily prefer­red to bee partakers of those ioyes and perfections, whereof if not of greater, he is and for euer shall be depriued, cannot but be much tormented; or else whence is it that he is said to rage, which is encrea­sed by how much more the day of iudge­ment draweth neere. An vnanswerable [Page 42]argument, that it is out of a certaine feare and an assured expectation, that he shall be made partaker of greater torment, which without ease or remedy he is euer after to endure. And if the waters when they are dammed, swell the higher, and the putrified tumor not launched, paine the sorer: how shall not he now fretting, then euen eat himselfe in fury, when all occasion by which, and subiects saue his owne vassals, whereupon to worke his malice, shall be fully remoued, and his powerfull rage and raging power fi­nally restrained? And the rather because hee shall still retaine a desire to cast dust vpon the beauty of Gods glory, and hin­der if then it were possible, the felicity of the blessed Angels, & euer happy Saints, of whom euery Alleluiah which they sing vnto the Almighty, being as so ma­ny stinging Scorpions to his malicious minde. Thus farre then God is gracious vnto them, in that though they be deli­uered into chaines of darknesse, 2. Pet. 2.4. Iud. 9. where can­not want horror, yet they are as yet only [Page 43] reserued vnto iudgement, which hereafter is to passe both against and vpon them. Oh the loue, goodnesse and bounty of God, for height as Iacobs Ladder it stretcheth to the Heauens, for bredth as the Curtaine, it couereth all Nations, for length it extendeth to all times, for depth it pierceth the darksome dennes of the damned soules and infernall spi­rits: So as it is shadowed in the crea­tures, cleerely shewed in the sacred Scrip­tures, by his workes of both mercy and iustice manifested, in reason confirmed, by all must bee confessed, that God is mercifully iust, and iustly mercifull, and though his mercy be enlarged, his Iu­stice is not lessened, and though his Iu­stice be inflicted, yet his mercy is exten­ded. Oh that we were such Eagles as that the eyes of our minds could so gaze at this Sunne, that bathing our selues in the water of Gods sacred Fountaine, our old corruption might be shaken off, and we so renued in the strength of our crea­ted condition, that the meditation of his [Page 44]mercy and iustice so indifferently seated in him, the consideration of his seuerity and clemency so vnpartially executed by him, might alwaies sit at the helme of our hearts, hoise the sailes of our af­fections, and be the Pilot of our practi­ses, in respect of him, our selues, and o­thers; then should wee, in respect of him, not onely in our affections saile with a faire gale of fearing loue, and sur­render to him his right of our louing feare, espying the Ensignes of his Iu­stice: but also in our actions his cle­mency would cherish alacrity, and his seuerity inflame our sincerity: For our affections, as the nobler metals cast into the Furnace, are turned into the colour, and participate of the heat of fire, so the heart of man fixed vpon Gods mercy by meditation, should be fired with the loue of his Maiesty, hauing an eye to his due, our duty, and the dignity of it. His due, it is as he is God, louely in himselfe, louing towards vs. Louely in himselfe, and therefore well said Bernard, Tract. de dilig. Deo. Causa [Page 45]diligendi Deam Deus est; sufficient cause of louing the Lord, is the consideration that he is God. For whatsoeuer is desira­ble, that he is. Doth power is the Ada­mant iron) draw our affections to it. He is King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, a God of Omnipotency. Does that which is auncienta lure our hearts to delight in it? He is the auncient of daies, a God of greatest antiquitie. Doth knowledge keepe the minde in admiration of it? He vnderstandeth our thoughts long before, neither is any thing hid vnto him, a God of omnisciency. He is the God of vnity, which is the honour of brethren; the God of constancy, the crowne of friendship; the God of wis­dome, the glory of man. He is a shade to the weary, a shelter to the wronged, a treasury to the needy. Hee is truth which is so much commended; He is light in which we are so much deligh­ted; He is life which of all things is so much desired. If honour the aime of the ambitious, if riches the desire of the [Page 46]couetous, if fame the hope of the vaine­glorious, if excellency, absolute perfe­ction, endlesse felicity, or any other thing which soules would wish to be partakers of, may glue our hearts vnto them, then the Lord: For all things that are good are in him, and deriued from him who is goodnesse it selfe: to be lo­ued, because in himselfe he is so louely, and so louing towards vs, louing vs freely, fully, firmely. For before we loued him, 1 Iohn 4.19. he loued vs first, the dew of his gra­ces fell first vpon our fruitlesse soules, the beames of his bounty reflected first vpon our vnsanctified hearts, the light of his countenance shone first vpon our darkened vnderstandings: our affecti­ons were first warmed with the fire of his loue, our desires first kindled with the blast of his spirit, our dead members first reuiued with the hand of his pow­er, before we conceiued, affected, acted any thing which was heauenly: Till the furrowes of our hearts were sowen with the seed of his blessings, nothing [Page 47]but weeds there appeared; till we as trees were transplanted into the soyle of his Church, nothing but bitter fruits were there to be gathered; till wee as plants were inoculated into Christ the true Vine, nothing but sowre grapes could there be tasted. His loue cast salt into our waters and made them sweet, put clay vpon our eies and made them see: then, then, not before, we watered the tender sprigs in his orchard, and percei­ued the sweetnesse of his fauour; and so louing vs first, he loued vs freely.

Freely, when we would not, when we could not loue him; when we would not, for when we were filled with malice, swelled with enmity, opposite to all en­tertainment of Amitie, then did he sha­dow vs with the wings of his fauor, shel­ter vs in the harbor of his goodnesse, & hide vs vnder the helmet of his prote­ction; when vve sought his infamy, then wrought he our glory, when we ende­uored his hurt, he deuised our helpe; when wee actuated his death, he redee­med [Page 48]our life; when our enmity fled, neg­lected, resisted, then his kindnesse fol­lowed, called, perswaded; nay, when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne; Rom. 5.10. when we would not, he loued vs freely, no lesse when we could not, in respect of our degeneration, gene­ration. For our degeneration; it was so great as there was nothing gratious in vs, such was the wound which Sathan by sinne had giuen vs, that wee not onely lay polluted in our owne bloud, Ezech. 16.6. but the vitall spirits of our spirituall life were so let out, that wee were dead in trespasses and sinnes, Ephes. 2.5. hauing hearts, but no hearts to loue him; hauing soules, but no soules to long for him; hauing bodies, but no bodies to worship him; our soules and bodies as farre from purposing any spi­rituall worshipping, as dead men are from performing any corporall worke: foules and bodies no more willing to yeeld him the least holy affections, than dead men are able to perfect the most [Page 49]honourable action. Freely then he lo­ued vs, in that he died for vs and quick­ned vs by his spirit, when we were sin­ners and dead in trespasses; so that we could not loue him in regard of our dege­neration. Let vs now see the freenesse of his loue towards vs when wee could not loue him in regard of generation. We had not then receiued being, when Gods loue tovvards vs had receiued a beginning; our soules were then vn­breathed, our bodies then vnframed, when our soules and bodies were by him affected; When this glorious stru­cture laid on, nay, in the earth, when our goodliest building was only clay, when our houses had no hands as Keepers to tremble, Eccles. 12.3. nor teeth as grinders to cease, nor eies as Windowes to looke out at, nor mouth as the doore to be shut, nor iawe bones to sound in the grinding, nor arteries or eares as the daughters of speech and singing to be abased, no marrow or sinewes as siluer cord to be lessened, nor the braines [Page 50]Tunicle, as a golden Ewer to be broken, nor any Veine as a Pitcher wherein the bloud is contained, to be broken at the Liuer as the Well, nor the head which turnes as a Wheele, to be broken at the heart, whence as out of a Cisterne all the powers of life are drawne; nor the body which was raised out of the dust, nor the Spi­rit which came from God: before any of these were to be found, we were interested in Gods fauour; the earth was created for our habitation, the creatures appointed for our vse in Gods loue, before euer either we beheld the Light, or the Light was brought out of darknesse, or darknesse was vpon the face of the deepe. Gen. 1.2. Loue is one of the affecti­ons, and affections are seated in the heart, the heart is placed in the midst of the body, but neither could the body conteine the heart, nor the heart cast af­fection, nor the affection be carried in the chariot of Loue, till loue, affection, hart and body had a being. If then the Lords fauour was set vpon vs, before [Page 51]any of these were sited in vs; it is cleerer than the Sunnes brightnesse, when the cleerenesse of the skie giues freest liberty to his rayes in the midst of the Hemisphere, that we could not loue him when he loued vs, because we were not when the eies of his excellency did sparkle the flame of his affections to­wards vs: and therefore he louing vs before we loued him, nay when we as enemies would not, as sinners and dead men in respect of degeneration, and without being in respect of generation could not loue him: I appeale to the testi­mony of euery conscience, if he loued not freely. And seeing we must con­fesse he loued freely, we may conceit he loued fully. For in euery part of the bo­dy, in euery power of the soule, is im­printed the character of his fauour. Is the eie at any time restrained from be­holding vanitie? it is a signe of his loue: Is the mouth at any instant shut, that it speaketh not blasphemy? it is a to­ken of his care. Is the eare at any sea­son [Page 52]stopt from hearing calumny? it is an emblem of his mercy. Is the foot staied vpon any occasion from follow­ing impietie, oppression, and cruelty? it is the ensigne of his goodnesse. His loue enlightneth the vnderstanding, His loue rectifieth the Iudgement, His loue ordereth the affections, and his loue directeth the will. Such a Sunne is the Lord to vs, that there is no cranny of the heart but his rayes doe enter, en­tring enlighten, enlightning informe the minde, reforme the manners, and con­forme the whole man to religious cour­ses. Childhood claimes a part in his loue, Youth challengeth a portion in his fauour, and Age hath not the least in­terest in his mercy. He pardoneth sins fully, accepteth vs in Christ fully, receiued vs to himselfe fully, will glorifie vs sully, needs then he must loue vs fully, which hee could not doe if hee loued not firmely; for then there should be with him mutability, Jam. 1.17. with whom there is neither colour nor shadow of changing. Loue [Page 53]in electing vs before all time was the beginning (if I may attribute begin­ning to that which is without all be­ginning) Loue in redeeming vs in his appointed time was the continuing; Loue in glorifying vs beyond all time, shal be the consummating of our felicity, all which trumpet out the firmnesse of it. That friendship is not firme which is desisted, that fauour is not faithfull which is not continued, that faith not constant which is violated. Cancell the euidence of his Couenant, fal­sifie the truth of his promises, stop the Fountaine of his mercies towards vs, how shall he be the finisher of our saluation? Heb. 12.2. Though this Ocean be dispersed into many chanels, it suffers no diminution; though this Sunne bee extended into many climates, it admits no diuision; though this gold bee transported into many countries, it is free from alterati­on, so strong as labour cannot weaken it, so solid as vse cannot weare it, so rich a treasury as time it selfe cannot wast it. [Page 54]It followed Ioseph in his brethrens hatred, Gen. 37. attended on him among the Madianites, ver. 39. houered ouer him in the Prison, ver. 40. honou­red him in Pharohs Court. ver. 41. If Israel tra­uell from one Nation to another people, Psa. 105.13, 14. Gods loue suffered no man to doe them wrong, and rather than they shall bee vnregarded, Kings shall be rebuked. Contrarieties are combined for the good of vs, if we bee within his loues compasse, what pros­perity promiseth aduersity bringeth, and what is denyed by calamity, is not yeel­ded by temporall felicity, loue seeking in all things alike our good, and kee­ping vs alwaies at one with our God, so as neither death, Rom. 8.38, 39. nor life, nor Angels, nor Prin­cipalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor a­ny other creature shall be able to separate vs from his loue, which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. How are not our hearts as the thir­sty ground greatly desiring, and our bowels troubled within vs, till we finde them filled with a loue of his Maiesty, who is louely in himselfe, louing to­wards [Page 55]vs? seeing we yeeld vnto him no more than his due, as good, and render him our only duty, as God. The Heauens speake vnto the earth, the earth cals vnto the waters, the waters crie vnto the aire, & all of these summon euery one of their inhabitants to proclaime vnto man that God is onely his, and nothing so properly his owne as is the Lord, being his portion for euer: if we be hungry, Psal. 73.26. he is bread for vs; if we be thirsty, he is water to quench it; if we be in darknesse, he is light; if we be sicke, he is our Physitian; if we be blinde, he is seeing; though wee be deafe, hee is hearing; though wee be lame, he is walking; though we be weak, he is strong; to foresee, to attend, to pro­uide, and to prosecute whatsoeuer may perfect our good, or preuent our euill, insomuch as euery one of vs may truly say with the Prophet Dauid, Psal. 73.26. Thou art my lot and inheritance, the strength of my heart, and saluation of my soule. Let the Fish challenge the waters for their due, the beasts claime the earth for their possession, the [Page 56]Fowles the aire for their interest, and the glorious Angels the Heauens for their habitation, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. yet being Christs, and Christ Gods, in him all are ours, he being to vs all in all. Psa. 73.24. Counsell to aduise vs, wisdome to direct vs, righteousnesse to acquit vs, sanctification to cleanse vs, 2 Cor. 1.30. redemption to free vs, and a King to receiue vs into glory; so as euery one of vs may well say with the sweet singer of Israel, Psal. 73.25. Whom haue I in Heauen but thee, and here is nothing in earth that I desire besides thee: And there­fore to be admired, admiring to bee lo­ued of vs in duty, who did first giue vs birth and being, protecting vs against all dangers, preseruing vs in all pe­rils, prouiding for vs in all wants, resol­uing vs in all doubts, comforting vs in all discontents, in a word causing all things, euen all things, though in na­ture of contrariety, Rom. 8.28. to worke together, and shake hands in amity for our good, if as we ought, we loue him who is our God: which duty how should we deny vnto him, if wee consider the dignity of it, [Page 57]which appeareth in the Lords approba­tion, acceptation, and remuneration of it, esteeming it highly, else would he not inioyne so strictly and inculcate it so frequent­ly: strictly he enioynes it, Deut. 6.5. for there is no part of any heart but must harbour it, no parcell of any soule but must solace in it, nor no portion of any ones mind must be missing to it, nor the least mite of any ones might must be deteined from it: vn­to this Ocean as well the little streames as the greatest Riuers must pay their tri­bute; vnto this Sea as well the smallest torrents as the largest chanels must send their presents, so strictly it is comman­ded, and the more strictly in that it is so often called for, called for by the Law, cal­led for by the Gospell. That which a fa­ther (perceiuing through his age that death approcheth) doth most counsell his children either by way of admoniti­on or exhortation to shunne or follow, the experience of his yeeres, and his haires grauity doe seale the necessity of it to them, and signifie, especially [Page 58]if he often repeat it, how worthily it is conceited of by him. Moses in diuers messages from the Lord, either by way of precept or explanation, either exhor­ting or disswading, either commanding or commenting vpon his former lawes or louing fauours, often plainly presseth this duty as the Lords due, and the peo­ples debt. Often doth our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles propound it as a grace most excellent, decipher it as a vertue most orient, paint it out as a duty most pleasant in it selfe, pleasing vnto, nay the very pleasing of God, and that in so high a degree as he graciously accepts it; for in the Word that infallible Truth they im­ply, that the affecting of his Maiestie in his account is the acting of his com­mand, and the fixing vpon him our loue is the fulfilling of the whole Law. Mat. 22. Gal. 2. As he esteemes it highly, accepts it heartily, so doth he recompence it manifoldly with temporall, spirituall and eternall blessings. As for temporall, without raine the earth is as brasse, the ground as iron; but to [Page 59]those that loue him, hee that is faithfull & cannot either deceiue or be deceiued, he who is truth and cannot faile, he who is wisdome and cannot erre, hath pro­mised that he will giue them raine, Deut. 11.13, 14. theres a blessing; in due time, theres the greatnesse of the blessing; euen the first and the latter raine, that is, in the seed time and to­wards Haruest, to this end that (vnlesse they wilfully contemne his offred bles­sings of plenty, and obstinately draw vpon their owne heads a curse of scarci­ty) they may gather in their wheat, their wine and their oile. Corne without raine could not grow ripe, and through raine vnsea­sonably falling we could not reape: to haue it then is a blessing; to want it, a curse; and to haue it out of season is ra­ther a curse than a blessing: In his giuing it then to them that loue him, in due sea­son, lies the sweetnesse and marrow of the blessing: but though the grapes be pressed and the wine sugred in the cup, yet may a man bee depriued of it at the lip, as was Ancaeus, from whence arose [Page 60]that Adage, Eras. Adag. chil. 1. ceat. 5. Multa cadunt inter calicem su­premaque labra: though a man bee in full expectation to reape, 2 Sam. 14.30. yet a reuengefull Absolom may send to burne vp the fields of Ioab when his Corne is ripe, and Sam­son by his Foxes frustrate the hope of the Philistins, Jud. 15.5. hindring their fruitfull har­uest: Psal. 128.2. but those that loue the Lord shall enioy the fruit of their labours, and eat the labours of their hands. No politike Achito­phel, no malicious Absolom, no enuious Samson shal disappoint them, their enemies must be cast out before them, and their bor­ders much inlarged: and because all these may be enioyed, and yet we not ioyned with him, to this temporall hee addes spirituall blessings, and such whereby we may perceiue him to be ours, and vni­ted to vs in the bonds of loue. And lest strangenesse in association should beget a strangenesse in his & our mutuall affe­ctions, lest discontinuance of commu­nion should breed a dislike or disunion in opinion, or lest want of societie should worke the violation of amity, [Page 61]Christ promiseth that both his Father and He will descend from their glorious Thrones and Seats of Maiestie, Iohn 1 [...] 29. and come vnto him that loueth him, and make not as guests whose stay is momentary, but as dwellers and Masters of the Mansi­on, their abode with him, to whom it is impossible that any spirituall bles­sing should be absent, where the Au­thor of all spirituall grace is present. Can that field be vnrefreshed where a spring­ing fountaine remaineth! or can waters be wanting where is a liuing Well? Hea­uenly graces necessarily there abound, where the giuer of them abideth, not for once but for euer; for to those that loue him his blessings are eternall. Many Con­querors doe enioy a crowne which is maintained, attended, with great care, & subiect to the greatest crosses; nay the head which it adorneth many times is diuided from the body, but he giues to them that loue him a Crowne of life. Iam. 1.12. Ma­ny enioy the crowne, but want power to possesse his Kingdome, but those that [Page 62]loue him, 2.5. he giues not the Crowne only but the Kingdome too. How should not we render the Lord his due in perfor­ming our dutie for the dignitie of it which he so highly esteemeth, so readily approueth, and so manifoldly recom­penceth, with temporall, spirituall, and eternall blessings? but seeing loue is the ground of all which is conferred from God on vs, and the substance of all that is owing from vs to God, let vs first see the meanes whereby it may be obtained or continued, and the markes wherby it is discerned.

In respect of the meanes whereby it is obtained or continued, we must be ei­ther passiue or actiue. Passiue in the hearts purity: for vpon that condition will this grace enter; and without cleansing, no expecting it as a Companion: there­fore Hee that was faithfull in all Gods house, Heb. 3.2. promising from the Lord that he will circumcise his peoples hearts, adds withall the end of that circumcising, that thou maist loue the Lord thy God: Deut. 30.6. as if [Page 63]there could be no louing of the Lord where there was no circumcising of the heart: and indeed onely then will this loue bee entertained when our hearts are purified: For the loue of God is a fire, and abhors vnfitting fewell, which may either cause smoke to offend the eies, or stench to distaste the smell of God, and at last extinguisheth it selfe; and therefore as Noahs Doue would not set one foot vpon the muddy earth, nor any Doue will delight in a foule cot­tage, as no Lion will frequent any pu­trified haunt, nor the Turtle pearke vp­on a barren tree: so neither will this grace (partaking of the spirits qualities from whence it comes, as the water tasteth of the fountaine from whence it floweth) take footing or can delight in a corrupted conscience; nor seeing it is neere allied to the Lion of the Tribe of Iuda, deigne to harbour in a polluted heart; nor being the Lords truest Tur­tle, sit vpon or seat it selfe in that man whose minde is destitute of holy medi­tations. [Page 64]Meditate then, (for you must be actiue) on the vngodlies deficiency, this graces excellencies, and the Lords mercies. Me­ditate vpon that wofull yet assured pre­diction of our Sauiour, Mat. 24.12. that the loue of many shall wax colde, and it will bee a cocke to awake thy sleeping consci­ence, a goade to pricke thee forward to feruent prayers, lest thou shouldst bee one of them that must be tainted with so great a sinne. Meditate of the graces excellency, in the quality, efficacie, and ex­tension, and that will be as a fire to en­flame, and as a fewell to continue thy desire vnto it. For in the Quality what grace more honourable, in the efficacie what grace more powerfull, 1 John 4.8. in the extension what grace more large, more lasting? remember then how of all graces this is graced with the greatest name, as most partici­pating of the diuinest nature. Remem­ber how of all graces this is most pre­uailing, Rom. 8.28. seeing all things though in neuer such an Antipathy and contention a­mong themselues, yet as vnited forces, [Page 65]must worke together for the good of those that loue him. Remember that howeuer the eye may see much, the eare heare more, and the heart conceiue more than either the eie can see, or the eare can heare; yet The things which eie hath not seene, 1 Cor. 2.9. eare hath not heard, neither came into mans heart, hath God prepared for those that loue him. Re­member how of all graces this is most large, most lasting. 13.13. Faith shall cease vpon fruition, hope end vpon possession, loue only continue all the time of our eter­nall happinesse. Faith is onely for the present, Hope for the future, Loue both for the past, present, and the time to come. Faith is locked within a mans owne brest, hope helpeth not anothers heart; onely by Loue, as by the Sunne, both the Sphere where it is placed is en­lightned, and another place, vnto which it diffuseth the rayes, is warmed. Lastly, meditate on Gods great mercies, in his promises, prouidence, performances, and they cannot but beget a liking, which ere long will be seconded with a zealous [Page 66]louing of his Maiestie. Thinke how there is no crowne so rich as that which he promiseth, no ioyes so rare as those which he prepareth, no kingdome so large as that which he intendeth, no society so louely as that which hee purposeth, to them which loue him: thinke how rea­dily he hath enclined his eares and heard thy cries, how cheerefully hee hath o­pened his mouth and comforted thine heart, how louingly hee hath stretched out his arme and remoued thy dan­gers, how freely he hath filled his hand and enriched thy soule. Thus the puri­fying of thy heart, meditating on the vn­godlies deficiency, this graces excellen­cy, and the Lords mercy, will by the as­sistance of his gracious spirit, wrought with faithfull and vnfained praiers, lodge his loue in thy heart; where if it be lodged, by two markes it may be discerned.

For loue begetteth first a desire of Com­munion, secondly a similitude of affection. Our Communion with the blessed Tri­nity [Page 67]is twofold, either Corporall or Spiri­tuall: this is to be had heere, that to be enioyed hereafter, both to be desired euer: for they that truly and sincerely loue Christ Iesus, they will long for his comming, and thirst for his last appea­ring. Loue is such a linke, as it cannot lacke the Vnion, nay communion with the partie loued; Loue is such a fire in the heart of Saint Paul, that it flames out at his mouth, and manifests the desires of his soule, Phil. 1.23. euen to be dissolued and to be with Christ; and as a violent fire which keepeth within no bounds, but being driuen with the winde of Gods spirit, sparkles out the wishes of the whole Church, as if it were the words but of one bride calling for the company of her spouse, Come Lord Iesus, come quickly. Reu. 22.20.

Feruency admits no deferring, and earnest desires endure no delaies, espe­cially where perfection, compassion, and mercy, shall vpon their meeting giue a full end to all imperfection, wants, and miseries. A Christian soule well con­sidering [Page 68]this absolute and happy com­munion, hauing one only sparke of af­fection, and one onely dragme of loue, must needs desire it. Nothing, surely no­thing, can hold it from flying by the wings of feruent prayer, and entring heauens palace; nothing can quench the flame of it, the fire being as strong as death, or hinder its burning aboue the clouds, till the affections of the Churches Spouse, which seeme to bee frozen, in that he comes not at her call, be so warmed within him as he may be moued to descend, that they meeting him in the clouds may behold his cor­porall countenance, which (because they cannot yet enioy) doe manifest the truth and sincerity of their loue to him so long as it is his pleasure to detaine the former, the affectioned soule delight­eth here, in nothing more, than in a spi­rituall societie with him, which often to earthly men he vouchsafeth, in the place and in the exercises by him ap­pointed, his house, word, meditation, praier, [Page 69]and Sacraments; and though he be euery where, so as if we would we cannot flye from his presence, yet in that place & in these ordinances it pleaseth him to con­uerse with his children, and his children are partakers of his spirituall presence. In his word he manifesteth his glory, in his Word he speaketh and powreth forth his mind to vs: in prayers we familiarly talke and powre forth our hearts before him; in the Sacraments hee giueth visible pled­ges of his fauour, and we with the spiri­tuall eye of our mind, hand and mouth of faith, looke vpon, touch, and taste the Bread of life: in meditation wee enter into his priuy Chamber, and he vouch­safeth vnto vs a sight and view of all his richest and rarest treasuries, where wee may behold more pleasing, more profi­table obiects than could Berodach Bala­dan in the house of Hezekiah, pretious things; 2 King. 20.12, 13. where we may haue cause of greater ad­miration than had the Queene of Sheba in the hearing of the wisedome of Salo­mon, which to heare she was content, [Page 70]vpon the same of it, to leaue her owne Country, thereby testifying her de­sire to it: and shall not we feeling the fruits of his presence who is greater than Salomon, manifest our delight in it by our loue to his house and ordinances? He that loues God, glad will his heart be, ioyfull his soule, if he may conuerse with him at any time, in any place, or in any manner it shall please him to mani­fest himselfe vnto him. Holy Dauid could not better expresse the greatnesse of that fire in his heart, which could not be suppressed till it brake forth at his mouth, and hee in admiration cried out, O how amiable are thy Tabernacles, Psal. 84.1, 2. O Lord of Hosts my soule longeth, yea euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh crieth out for the liuing God; and yet in his exile hee might haue had the fruition of Gods fauour; which lest wee thinke hee did not conceiue, hee explaines his meaning to be this, that his affections were fixed vpon the ordinances of God, and therefore preferring the very Spar­row [Page 71]and Swallow before himselfe, as linked to the Lord in a surer bond of loue, addeth, Yea the Sparrow hath found a house, and the Swallow a nest for her selfe, where she may lay her young, euen thine Altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God; and hol­deth them blessed, not as though hee were accursed, for how should he be but blessed who hath the Lord for his King and his God? but herein he holdeth them more blessed than himselfe, who dwelt in the Lords house, from which hee was exiled, and where the people of the Lord were made partakers of his will, and per­formed his Worship. And lest we should thinke that this loue of Dauid was only in the time of his banishment, thus fer­uent to the place where the Lord in his ordinances did manifest his presence, when he might, and did serue the Lord free from all impediments, and deliuered from the hands of Saul, pleading in ano­ther Psalme his owne integrity, in respect of his fauourable dealing with Saul, thinkes that his innocency, his confi­dence [Page 72]in trusting vpon God, his keeping the affections and inward motions of his heart pure, his abstaining from re­compencing euill for euill, in conside­ration of Gods louing kindnesse to­wards him, his shunning and hating vn­godly assemblies and persons, his re­soluing with pure minde and holy conuersation (as before still) to seeke his God; though these were excellent signes of a good and godly heart, hee thinkes all these nothing vnlesse his loue which he continually had to Gods house be added: Lord (saies he, besides all the rest) I haue constantly loued the habitati­on of thy house, Psal. 26.8. and the place where thine Ho­nour dwelleth. And as hee loued Gods house, and all religious duties there exer­cised, so before and aboue the rest in Gods Word was he most delighted, it had not the meanest but the chiefest place in his heart, not the fewest but the most of his affections set vpon it, it was his delight, his ioy, his staffe, his stay, his rest, his loue, as in the 119. [Page 73]Psalme, euery where appeareth. Hee that is affamished, receiues not meat with more gladnesse than Ieremy did the Word of God: Ier. 15.16. it was the ioy and the re­ioycing of his heart. Come wee now to Prayer. Oh the loue of the godly to this exercise! Some haue prayed often in the day, as Daniel; some by prayer haue pre­uented the morning watch: to pray night and day was to some delightsom, as to Dauid: some haue neglected no occasion that was offered, as Paul. It was the vsuall practise of our Sauiour, hee that needed least prayed most, teaching vs by his own patterne what we should practise: no sooner had he ceased preach­ing but he fell to praying, hee prayed in the Mountaine, in the Garden, in all pla­ces, at all times, he prayed on the Crosse when he was suffering. Now for the Sa­craments, in them wee behold his passi­on, in them we partake of his body, and communicate of his bloud, by them our faith is confirmed, our soules strengthe­ned, and our consciences quieted; with [Page 74]euery of which, what Christian is not delighted? Delighted with them were they in the Apostles times, who at eue­ry meeting did breake their bread with gladnesse of heart. Act. 2. And as for meditation, by it we see God in his Word, behold him in his workes, looke vpon him though in the highest Heauens, by it is presented to our eyes his Maiesty to sub­iect vs that wee grow not proud; his Iustice to feare vs that we bee not wanton, his mercy to comfort vs that we doe not faint, his wisdome to direct vs that we doe not erre, and his power to defend vs that we do not doubt: By Meditation is manifested before the eyes of our mind, the greatnesse of Christs suffrings, his sorrowing heart, his hea­uy soule, his bleeding hands and feet, his pierced side, his wounded heart, and whatsoeuer else he endured for our mis­deeds, in which the Saints of God haue beene much exercised, and that by rea­son of their loue vnto it. Thus doth our loue of God breede in vs a desire of soci­ety, [Page 75]in those exercises where God pre­sents himselfe if they may be had; if not, a seeking them according to his will a­boue all things in the world. The Spouse of Christ, the Church of God, e­uery Christian soule saith of Christ; I desire to sit vnder his shadow, Cant. 2.5. and I am sicke of loue; that is, I faint if I want that fel­lowship with Christ my head which I so much desire, according to his will as he hath appointed to associat himselfe with me in his Word, Prayers, Sacra­ments and Meditation. Let this be the tryall of the truth of our loue: Are we as Beares drawne to the stake to these ordinances? Is the Word to vs as a bur­den? Looke we vpon the Lords Table with contempt, as though some home­ly fare were offered? neglect wee pray­ers? meditate we neuer? wee haue no testimony of our loue to God: for our care, and reuerence, and respect to the meanes, are the emblemes of our affecti­ons to, and the demonstrations of our delight in his Maiesty, who presents [Page 76]himselfe in his ordinances. True loue begetting a desire of communion, which is alwaies seconded with a likenes of affection, at the least hating what­soeuer he abhorreth, and louing that in whatsoeuer he delighteth. Now he (to in­stance in three things especially) loueth, First, the honour of his name, Secondly, the obedience of his will; and thirdly, the prospe­rity of his Church: and on the contrary, holds in detestation those that dero­gate from his glory, disobey his statutes, and hinder either the flourishing of his Church, or the furthering of his Saints in their temporall or eternall good.

As for the first, his name and the ho­nour of it, how hee doth prise it, better cannot I decipher than from his owne mouth, who when he would preserue it as his owne peculiar, proclaimes it as in the eares of all, That he will giue his glory to no other: and lest any might encroach vp­on his right, the better to detaine it, and the more to deter them from attempting it, Exod. 20. hee affirmeth, That he is a iealous God, [Page 77]which word is (though but one word yet) as forcible as all the Arguments In­uention can afford (if it be duely weigh­ed) and more perswasiue than all the flourishes Rhetorike can yeeld (if it bee truly viewed) to proue and paint out his delight in his glory and loue to his name: for all griefes are either to be ap­peased with sensible perswasions, or to be cured with wholsome counsell, or to be releeued with bountiful gifts, or by tract of time to be worne out, Iealousie only ex­cepted. In that then he alledgeth his Iea­lousie, he intimates that Prayers cannot preuaile against his displeasure, sacrifi­ces shall not expiate that sinne, time will not wipe out that blot cast vpon his glo­ry. Hee therefore that loueth the Lord will be grieued at the soule to see and heare the name of God dishonoured, his worship despised, his truth reuiled, his religion scorned, and the profession of his Gospell neglected. He who willing­ly endureth his friends reproach, is a lip­louer. He who patiently putteth vp the [Page 78]disgrace of his captaine, is either a bu­faint or a debosht souldier. He who carelesly passeth by the contempt of his Creator, is through Satans cunning an hellish and deformed creature. Moses in his owne matters is the mirrour of meekenesse; Numb. 12.3. but if the people in his ab­sence practise idolatry, oh how doth vexation enuiron his brest, wrath wea­ken his memory, and anger confound all the faculties of his soule! What though the Tables of stone were writ­ten with the Lords owne finger, his hands cannot hold them! Cunning workmanship is not weighed, Charity is not regarded, if pietie suffer disparage­ment. Their Idoll God shall be (because a Calfe) consumed in the fire, grinded to powder, Exod. 32.19. throwne into the water, and the idolaters pallates be seasoned, their bowels relisht with that sweetnesse which ashes­corrupted water can afford. Doth Rab­shakeh blaspheme the liuing Lord? How will Eliakin and Shebnah expresse the loue to their God, 1 King. 18.48. their loathing of that dis­loyaltie! [Page 79]their bodies shall not continue couered, when his name is cloathed with dishonour; their garments shall not remaine vntattered, when his glo­ry was rent with so great disgrace. Psal. 119.136. Dauids eies (in consideration of the great dishonour cast vpon Gods name, through common iniquity) gushed out riuers of waters. To expresse the great­nesse of his griefe, it is said they gushed out. To manifest the multitude of his sorrowes, they are called riuers of teares, and all was because men kept not his law. Hereby demonstrating his loue vnto God, by that griefe which he had for the dishonouring of his name. And truly; for they that are sealed to saluation doe mourne and cry for all the abhominations that bee done in the midst of the places where they liue. Ezech. 9.4. Is there such a mist drawne ouer our eies that we set not, such a thicke cloud ouer our vnderstanding we marke not, such a caule ouer our consciences wee feele not, either in ourselues or others, the abhominable blasphemies of his [Page 80]name, the horrible contempts of his ho­nour, wherein he is so much delighted? how can we loue him? Loue begetting a likenesse of affection, not only to his name, but his Will also; the obeying whereof is the badge of our true affecti­on: whence it is that the Prophet Dauid cals vpon all that are Saints, to this duty, Yee that loue the Lord, Psal. 97.10. hate the thing that is euill; seeing he detests it, ye may not de­sire it: and our Sauiour Christ who can best describe his owne disciple, though he gaue often loue as his liuerie, yet he will not haue them ignorant of the in­fallible signe whereby the truth of the liuery is discerned, Iohn 14.15. If ye loue me keepe my commandements. Oh that we had hearts so enflamed, that with him who was a man after Gods owne heart, in the fee­ling of our defects euery one would crie out, Psal. 129. Oh that my waies were so directed that I might keepe thy Statutes, and the palpable perceiuing our failing in not doing the things we should, nay those we would, cause vs cry out with him who was a [Page 81]chosen vessell; Wretched man that I am, Rom. 7.24. who shall deliuer me from the body of this death! Neh. 13.14. and iustly plead with Nehemiah and He­zechiah our goodnesse and integritie: Esay 38.3. then might our soules repose themselues in the sweet bed of peace, assured of our vnfained loue to God. But is the pol­luted puddle of iniquitie our bathes, the actions of vngodlinesse our recreations, the assemblies of the wicked our choisest company? Is sinne our surest stay, wic­ked counsells our best guides, hellish drugs our wholesomest Physicke, Sa­thans delights our sweetest potions? Are we so farre from hating, that we delight in couetousnesse, pride, malice, profana­tion? Is that most respected which God least regardeth, or that contemned which he commendeth, or that disobey­ed which he enioyneth? that heart and loue towards God is in a dangerous consumption. Poore loue is that will forsake nothing at Gods prohibiting, nor reforme any thing at his perswa­ding, nor performe any thing at his en­ioyning. [Page 82]Can a woman prostitute her body to a varlet, and yet truly say she lo­ueth her husband, or a childe pleade his loue to his Parents while he is vnduti­full, or any call himselfe, a friend, a member, a sonne, or daughter of the Lord, disobeying his will and acting the workes of the deuill? May the heart of a Saint neuer conceit it! for true loue be­gets a likenesse of affection to his name and will: yet if there it stoppeth, it were like a strange affectioned wife or friend, who can bee well content, the one to maintaine her husbands credit, the o­ther his friends estimation, and both em­brace his profitable counsels, and per­forme his pleasure, because either their owne dignity and good is continued, or distaste and disquiet preuented, but can least endure that childe in whom ap­peares most the fathers image, or that friend who is most respected; and there­fore that soule whose loue is wholly fix­ed vpon the Lord, will loue his Church, which is his vineyard planted by his [Page 83]owne right hand, garded by his Angels, guided by his wisdome, the flourishing whereof he greatly affecteth, and they who loue him are delighted in it, whe­ther ioyntly or seuerally considered. In euery particular member of it loue wee the graces that appeare in them? loue we them for the graces, which are signes and testimonies of Gods fauour to­wards them? We can haue no better te­stimony, no better token of our loue to God; no surer marke of our saluation: for if we loue him, who by his eternall spirit did beget them to be heires of glo­ry, 1 John 3.14. we cannot but loue them who are be­gotten, and are children of grace, a signe not to bee neglected: for hereby wee know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren. 5.13. Is thy af­fection rather lessened, then encreased, to a Christian because he is a Christian? Matth. 10. Doth his loue to the word, his delight in good workes, his distaste of wickednesse, im­bitter thy minde against him? Can he loue the father, who loathes the dutiful­nesse [Page 84]of the sonne, or honour the Soue­raigne, who harbours dislike of the sub­iects loyaltie? Christ will proclaime a­gainst them, howsoeuer they soothe now themselues, at that great day, in that they loued not his little ones, Mat. 10.42. they had no delight in him. For the Church ioyntly: is it ioy to thy soule, to heare, improue, the prosperity of it, to perceiue and procure the propagation of the Gospell in it? And dost thou with Paul in the midst of thy bonds and impri­sonments, for ioy forget the sorrowes of thy afflictions, at the report of Christ and his Gospels proceeding? then art thou with the Lord alike affectioned. Contrarily, art thou with Nehemiah for thy outward state, without all cause of sorrowing, liuing in soft rayment and faring deliciously, in Artaxerxes Court, yet art in countenance sad? art thou not sicke, yet weepes and mournes when thou hearest of the distresse of Ierusalem, or with Vriah, wilt thou lodge with the kings seruants and not goe downe to thine owne house, because [Page 85]the Arke of the Lord is in hazard? Art thou strooke as the wife of Phinees with sorrow, with a deadly sorrow, hearing the glory to bee departed from Israel? Dost thou in a word Preferre Ierusalem to thy chiefest ioy? The Lord will not forget thy loue, when he will neglect those who are so glued to the profits and pleasures of this life, that so they may haue the flesh-pots of Ae­gypt and the plenty of Sodome, care not which way Religion goeth, harken lesse to the well-fare of the Church then to those things which are done in a strange Land They solemnise the feasts of Bac­chus as the greatest godhead, present their offrings and enrich the Altar of Aescula­pius as a Diety. They honour Pluto as a diuine power, and so they may liue in any aire, can turne to any Religion, nei­ther meditating on Gods mercy which would moue a desire in them to delight in, and be affected with, what he loueth, nor pondering his Iustice which would beget a feare of his Maiesty, as it did the Prophet Dauid, as of himselfe he testifi­eth: [Page 86] My flesh trembleth for feare of thee, Psal. 119.120. and I am afraid of thy iudgements. Doth Dauid (deepely interested in the Lords euerla­lasting loue by Couenant neuer to bee cancelled) tremble? and are we, loded with sinne, lulled in the Cradle of stu­pidity? Is he, a man after Gods owne heart, afraid of his iudgements? and are not we, branded with impiety, abashed at the contemplation and sight of his Iustice?

Oh feare the Lord all yee his Saints, for your soules, obseruing Iustice, be­come the banquetting house of the bles­sed Trinity. Get the feare of the Lord, it is a faithfull Porter. Your soules are ei­ther already sicke or subiect to diseases, seeke for the feare of the Lord, it is a skil­full Physician. Your soules are as Ships in danger to be tossed in tempestuous seas, be fastned to the feare of the Lord, it is an assured Anchor. Haue you entertai­ned disloyall thoughts or attempted a­ny rebellious enterprise, and are afraid to approach the Throne of grace to [Page 87]pleade your pardon? Call for the feare of God, it is a powerfull Aduocate. Are you trauelling in the Wildernesse of this world, replenished with many by-paths, doubtfull which way to take? Take for your companion the feare of the Lord, it is a faithfull Counsellour. Are you en­uironed in the midst of many enemies? guard you with the feare of the Lord, it is a carefull Centinell. Haue you entred the danger of the battell? fight vnder the banner of the feare of the Lord, it is a couragious Captaine.

It is a faithfull Porter, not admitting a­ny rebellious suggestion, nor, though entertaining vnawares, suffring to abide any heauen-distasting motion in the soule, the Lords Palace: for if Ioseph be tempted, this either diuerts the attempt, repels the assault, and makes him cry out, How can I do this, and offend my God? Gen. 33.9. or else subuerts the plot and expels the act; rather leauing the loosenesse of the thoughts, then loading the conscience with the weight of sinne, rather endu­ring [Page 88]the losse of a ragged motion, then to defile the mansion of a heauenly mind: yet sets open, wide open, the doore of the heart to euery guest where­in the Lord delighteth, kindly entertai­ning euery grace which hee affecteth, cheerefully welcomming euery good thing, the presence whereof he desireth. Is mercy and compassion more pleasing then sacrifice? Hos. 6.6. Neb. 5.1.5. Iob. 6.14. The feare of the Lord first in­uites it. 2. Chron. 19.9. Is singlenesse of heart the delight of God, the desire of man? The feare of God admits it. Psal. 187.11. Is waiting vpon the Lords mercy and depending on his pleasure, expe­cted by him, respected of him? The feare of the Lord brings it in his hand to the banquet. By him who feareth the Lord, Col. 3.22. Obedience is as readily saluted as the sun-shine day after showers in the time of Haruest; Repentance as louingly embraced as the prodigall Sonne by the commiserating father; Pro. 1.7. Psal. 112.1. Instructions as ioy­fully receiued as Christ by Zacheus. Thus is it a faithfull Porter.

It is no lesse a skilfull Physician: Eeclus. 1.26. either [Page 89] purging corrupt humors and restoring health, or preuenting sicknesse and preseruing life. It purgeth corruption, not suffring sinne to nestle it selfe in the soule, or iniquity to lodge as a guest in the heart; but spea­king to it as the Lord to Ahab, Indeed hast thou killed and also got possession? And as intruding & pernicious Inhabitants to spirituall graces, driueth them out with violence. It preuenteth impiety towards God, iniquity towards man, and so continueth a blessed life in a wretched world: whence it is that Moses who was faithfull in all Gods house, saith, that God came to proue the people of Israel, that his feare might be before them that they might not sinne. Exod. 20.20. Let then the feare of God bee before our eyes, presented to our minds, sinne, which is as subtile as the Serpent cannot deceiue vs; sinne though it put on the shape of sanctity, shall not cir­cumuent vs; sinne though it promise much affected pleasure, much followed profit, shall not perswade vs. For sinnes Stratagems by the feare of God are dis­couered, [Page 90]sinnes perswasions by the feare of God are reiected; sinnes strongest ar­guments by the feare of God are con­futed. Thence it is that by that exact obseruer the Prophet Dauid, these two are set together as if they were as insepa­rable as Hypocrates Twinnes, Psal. 4.5. standing in ame, and not sinning, fearing, and not fal­ling, for where feare hath seased, sinne cannot be admitted; where feare hath got possession, in vaine for sinne to pre­tend a title. The Lords Palace, the soule, so furnished, is no fit mansion by Satans tenant to be inhabited; the spirits tem­ple so garnished, hath no Altar on which sinnes sacrifice may bee offered; The blessed Redeemer hath there no Table whereat sinnes seruice, though neuer so plausible, can be entertained. Let Pha­raoh enioine, Exod. 1.17. if euill, feare denies obedience, and holds his directions to be deuillish: Let Nebuchadnezzar prescribe; if wick­ed, his prescriptions as vnsound Princi­ples are neglected; Gen. 19. Let Ioseph be entised, by the feare of God all entisements are [Page 91]preuented, Prou. 14.27. for it is a Well spring of life to a­uoid the snares of death, and not onely to a­uoid death, but euen to preserue life, 10.27. &c. nay and encrease the dayes: Psal. 34.11. what though the number of your dayes be accompanied with many dangers, and you tossed with many tempests? the feare of God is an assured Anchor; Moral. 22. Anchora mentis pondus timoris, saith Gregory; the fire of concu­piscence cannot fasten vpon this affecti­on to consume it, the waters of tribula­tion cannot enter into this grace to rust it, the earthly qualitie of Couetous­nesse cannot infect this seede to spoile it, nor the contagion of vaine-glory and false opinion tosse this gift of the spirit to ouerthrow it. Though the raine of miseries showre vpon the soule, though the floud of temptation come against the heart, though the wind of diuers o­pinions blow vpon the mind, and all these with vnited forces beat vpon the whole man; yet where the feare of the Lord is, those showres finde a good soile to sucke them vp, those flouds meete [Page 92]with great rampires to repell their fury, those winds finde sufficient strength to resist their rage; Prou. 19.23. so as that man conti­nues safe, and falls not, being built vpon the feare of God as vpon a rock.

But be it, the violence of these stormes haue captiued your thoughts, and made you yeeld to that which hath displeased your God, so that you dare not approach his presence: this feare is a powerfull Aduocate. Though sinne made Adam hide himselfe from him, whose face he was a­fraid to see for shame: though murder caused Caine to flye from the Lord, to whose presence he durst not approach: though Trechery compelled Iudas vio­lently to hasten the end of his owne ac­cursed daies, as hopelesse of any pardon, as he was haplesse in that impiety, and perswaded him to flye from the sight of angry Heauen (as he thought) by quit­ting himselfe of the horror of his owne heart; yet the feare of God, as a well-tongued Orator, perswades so pithily; as a sound Logitian, argues so pro­foundly; [Page 93]as a Iudges fauorite, preuailes so powerfully; that all showers of dis­like are ceased, all clouds of doubts are dispersed, and all tempests of discon­tents are ended; and he who is seazed in this tenure, enioyeth and is admitted this priuiledge, to be accepted of the Lord. Act. 10.35.

Are you yet againe doubtfull to bee drawne away to error before your Iour­ney bee ended, Heb. 12.28. and feare vncertaine wandering? no better Cumrade can bee had than this Counseller, for it in­structeth the Minde, directeth thy Manners. Would you plucke the fruits of the tree of knowledge? this feare giueth entrance to it. Would you make vse of knowledge in due practise? This feare is the beginning of Wisdome, Prou. 1.7. Psal. 111.10. which is to keepe the Commandements. Whosoeuer is possessor of this grace, is so gracious in the eies of the Lord, that the Lord himselfe will become his teacher and di­rector, not in the way which the world, Psal. 25.12. nor that wherein his owne naturall cor­ruption delighteth, but that whereof hee [Page 94]himselfe who cannot erre nor be decei­ued, maketh a choise. Such a sweet Com­panion is this Counseller, and such a faithfull Counseller is this Companion, that through all the tearing bryers, all the pricking thornes, all the alluring fruits, all the dangerous and doubt­full pathes, all the cares, pleasures, and incumbrances of this world, it findes out a path, Frou. 19.23. chalkes out a way, and leades vs safely vnto Life.

Be it while we are trauelling we are be­set with the beasts of the forrest, enuiro­ned with many oppositions, yet subiect to securitie. The feare of God is a care­full Centinell to giue notice of our dan­gers. A Centinell it is, watching the ap­proach, discouering the plots of the Ene­mies: for Satan labours first of all to put out the eie of feare, well knowing the whole army remaineth sure, though securely sleeping, while the Centinell is vnslaine, and so farre prevaileth he, as this grace becomes his Captiue, assuring himselfe the day when this is conque­red. [Page 95]For when he had dimmed the eie of feare in Eue, she became to read, as if it had beene a larger Character than it was, and with her tongue to speake as Satans slaue in his mincing language, lest peraduenture ye die: Gen. 3. whereupon the Serpent takes occasion, and luls, as with Mercuries enchanting rod, by his char­ming speech, each corner of her minde asleepe, ye shall not die at all: then shewed her the excellency of it; whereupon she gazed: happy had she, happy had wee beene, if shee had not glanced at that Tree, Gen. 3.6. and perceiued that the tree was good for foode, and that it was pleasant to the eies, and a Tree to be desired to make one wise.

But she tooke and eat. Thus was it quite put out, and she forgat God who gaue her this for her Centinell, which duly watched, truly warned her of her dan­ger, but she treacherously gaue way to the suggestion of the Serpent, and so became a slaue, which otherwise had ne­uer beene; for if she had preserued it liue­ly, she had liued happily, and we holily; [Page 96]for so long as it watcheth, Gods iudge­ments are discerned and auoided, sinnes vglinesse seene and abhorred, dangers descried and preuented. For feare being opposed, calleth vp care, care enformeth reason, reason ministreth the meanes of safety, and prescribeth resistance.

And thus the feare of God hauing sounded the Alarum, called vp all the faculties of the soule to the fight, be­haues it selfe as a generous Captaine which Combats couragiously, Conquers victo­riously, and Crownes her assistants richly. Com­bats couragiously, for what a conflict was in Iosephs iudgement? What a combat in the mindes of the Aegyptian midwiues? What battels in the thoughts, what hor­ror-threatning Cannon-shot thundred in the eares of Iob? Iosephs feare to dis­please his God, lothnesse to wrong his Master, vnwillingnesse to discontent his Mistris, grapled furiously together: Her present authority, her future amity, her continuall eminency: His larger pow­er, higher place, constant honour, cau­sed [Page 97]his corruption to plead in this man­ner: Why Ioseph, dost thou demurre? Thou art a bondslaue, shee a beautifull creature; thou her seruant, she thy Lady: Thou a stranger, might to thine owne content, bragge of the abuse of her beau­ty, yet she locks her reputation in the Casket of thy secrecy. How many haue made knowne their shamefull desires, yet haue heard to their shame serious de­nials? Yet moues she the suit before it be granted, nay grants the suit before it be moued. How many would ac­count themselues happy in long conti­nuance to enioy onely one accepting countenance? Shee giues thee her face and her fauour too. How many haue laid long siege to beauties fortresse, and haue failed? Shee parlees, not to con­clude a peace and be gone, but before the assault, to yeeld her selfe to thy plea­sure. Doth discouery hinder thee? why who is heere but you two, Gen. 39. euery one else of the houshold being imployed abroadin their seuerall businesses. Can any blab saue [Page 98]thy selfe? And for her, thy constancy, Putiphars fury, her owne infamy, tie the strings of her tongue that shee cannot tell. Preuent, vnwise man preuent, as­sured repentance; nay procure thy cer­taine good. If thou shouldst despise her, she will despight thee; if thou faile to giue her thy heart, thou shalt feele the greatnesse of her hate. Her house is now thy harbour, her husband thy fauourer, shee will bee thy continuall friend: If thou fearest any hurt, repaire to her and presume of her helpe; shee can speede, when thou maiest not speake. If thou shew vnkindnesse, she for sauing her owne credit may accuse thee, and who will acquit thee? thou shalt be condemned, and shee cleared. Thy brow shall beare the brand of ig­nominie for euer, seeing euery one will be as ready to maintaine as entertaine any misreport of a stranger. Whereun­to the feare of the Lord seemed to re­ply: Pause a little Ioseph, haste makes waste, let not a Creature cause thee to [Page 99]forget thy Creator. Is she beautifull? who did giue it? not thy God? why did he giue it? for thee to abuse it? canst thou embrace her motion, and not wrong thy master, who hath cast all his hous­hold affaires vpon thy fidelity? Consi­der, oh consider it well; the more he trusts thee, the more monstrous thy fault if thou be faithlesse. He hath en­tertained thee into house, when thou wantedst harbour, hee hath aduanced thee from a slaue to be a seruant, from a seruant to a Steward, from a Steward to a Ruler. He in his house sees nothing but by thine eies, heares nothing saue what thou reportest, acts nothing but subscribed by thine hand, prescribes no­thing, vnlesse thou direct. Hath he ho­noured thee to dishonour him? hath he displaied the banner of his curtesie to grace thee, and wilt thou obscure his dignity with the clouds of disgrace and discontent? Is thy affection so vnsatia­ble? are thy lusts so vnlimited? cannot much, nay, the most satisfie, but thou [Page 100]must haue thy desire in all? Remember the first Creation: hast thou forgot Adam? Dost thou not call to minde Eue? One, onely one Tree was reserued, and that must be tasted: But that taste did so much distaste the Lord, and load their consciences with confusion, that being subiects of misery, they could neither see nor seeke for mercy: All men sor­row for that sinne, Rom. 8.22. all Creatures yet grone through that transgression: besides, to her greatnesse oppose Gods gracious­nesse, to her fauours the Lords fury. Thou wast a bondslaue, who brought thee to this liberty? not thy God? thou wast a stranger, who did prouide thus for thee? not thy God? Thou wast a seruant, who raised thee to bee a Ruler? not thy God? how darest thou then re­compense his mercy with this mis­chiefe, require his loue with such disloy­altie, answer his power with such per­uersenesse! canst thou doubt of his pro­uidence, which hast such tryall of his protection, or wilt thou distrust his care [Page 101]for thee, hauing such experience of his comforts? Be it that the darknesse of the night should hide thee, or the fact remaine perpetually buried in the graue where all things are forgotten, or if dis­couered, so salued that it shall be forgot­ten as a thing vnacted, yet the Lords eye euer watcheth, and is of so piercing a power that it entreth into all secrets, and discouers euery most hidden deuice, and though all the world haue let it slip, yet thine owne conscience will neuer sleepe; that thy God will waken if it chance to slumber. What are the de­lights here? Syrenes either striuing to sinke vs, or to sucke our bloud. What are great ones faucurs? fading flowers, of­ten withered ere they can bee crop­ped. What can she doe? Is not all pow­er deriued from and belonging to God? Floweth not all pitty and compassion from him as from the proper fountaine? Psal. 62.11.12. Can man or Angell preuaile if God seeke to preuent them, or will they pitty if he seeme to prohibit? Keepe then the fa­uour [Page 102]of that God, at whose frowne the Mountaines shake, and on whose loue, thou knowest, attendeth life.

In Pharaohs commanding the Egypti­an Midwiues to kill the Israelites male­children, Exod. 1.16. they might perceiue cruelty to brandish his weapon, aggrauating the seeming goodnesse of the fact, extenua­ting the assured greatnesse of the fault, presenting Pharaohs might and the pa­rents misery, pressing the childrens pre­sent condition, and their posterities fu­ture calamity, in these or the like imperi­ous termes.

Are not you Pharaohs subiects? Exod. 5.2. you must submit. From what Soueraigne doth hee hold his Scepter? by what Com­mander will he be controuled, or who dare call him to account? if you respect your weale, obey his will. His care is your quiet, his corasiue your calamity, his power your protection; seekes he in this any thing but your preseruation? Aimes he in this at any thing saue your good? They so greatly multiply, if you [Page 103]now forbeare, hereafter they may proue too great a burden: little sprigs if they be not pruned will grow too high; and Nettles if not cut, will spread too farre. Cut then the weede while it is in grow­ing, and preuent a mischiefe, lest you sigh in sorrow, through too late repen­tance; If your posterity in the succee­ding age feele the plague, haue they not cause to condemne your pitty and call it folly, that fostred stings in your owne bosomes? Nature teacheth euery thing to preserue it selfe, and euery creature will prouide for the young ones safety. Cut then the thred of these Infants liues, for what are their Parents? such as with whom it is abomination for the Aegyp­tians to eat, and care you so much to let them breath, with whom you may not participate in eating bread? Are they not diuers from you in your rites, con­trary to you in your Religion, great con­temners of your gods? and shall they liue? Thus had cruelty wounded them and become their Conquerour, if the [Page 104]feare of the Lord with a mild and graci­ous spirit, distilling mercy and lenity, had not softned their breasts, and abated the edge of their more than humane fury, re­felling these seeming-sound positions with better grounded Principles; that, the Almighty had indeed transferred with his Attributes and titles his owne dignities and honors vpon earthly Mo­narchs, and cursed is that soule which sub­mits not to them, Rom. 13.1. either doing what they enioyne, or induring what they inflict: for to resist their Rule, though vniustly laid, is iustly to procure your ruines; to rebell against their will, though wicked, is causlesly, at least indiscreetly and obsti­natly, to worke your owne woes: for you warre against Heauens prouidence, and prouoke the highest power of whom they are. If then it be good which they bid, yeeld all submissiue; if indiffe­rent, all respectiue obedience: and if it be euill which they enioyne, though you must shunne the deed, Act. 5.29.41. yet shew your duties and their due, in submitting [Page 105]your selues to suffer patiently when they shall punish. But for these Infants, what haue they done? When the Babe is cry­ing for the dug, as desiring to haue the life preserued, shall it be done to death? Doe as you would be done to. How com­fortable is a calme after a tempestuous storme, but how great the griefe when the hope is frustrate, and expectation fai­leth! Are the Mothers pangs no sooner past, but will you intercept their ioy, nay renue their sorrow? Health is despai­red after a relapse hath surprised. Thinke how much would be your mourning if you saw such murther! Would not griefe gripe your hearts to see such cause of heauinesse? They poore soules ex­pected you as helpes, and will you bee the instruments of their hurt? Would you not iudge him cruell should lay so hard a charge against you or yours, and them too bloudy should be Agents in such a butchery? Thinke you to pre­serue your liues by their death, or your posterity by massacres, and to maintaine [Page 106]your Religion by murder? Hell may indeed reioyce at the cruelty, but the Heauens will reuenge that impious in­humanity and inhumane impiety. Hath their God euen before your eyes redres­sed their wrongs, and releeued their wants, and will he not repay this wick­ednesse vpon you and yours? what peo­ple euer preuailed against them, or what policy did euer delude his prouidence? Let your hearts neither harbour, nor your hands execute this vnheard of Murder; and then their God will pros­per you in your estates, and make your housholds like a slocke of sheepe. Exod. 1.

Iob feared God and suffered many sore bickerings with Satan; Sinne brought in vpon him suffrings, Suffrings vshered sorrowes, Sorrowes surprised his soule with impatience, which made him a burden vnto himselfe, Iob. 7.20. whereupon begunne a grieuous combat, continued with a dangerous conflict betweene his passi­on, impatience, and the feare of God. Impatience entering the Lists, brandi­shed [Page 107]these weapons with most furious courage-danting countenance. See Iob, how thy wife which lyeth in thy bo­some, thy second selfe, which should be thy comfort in thy crosses, is the aug­menter of thy calamity; thy children round about thy table, the hope of the continuing of thy name in after ages, are swept away as the Spiders web; and for thy friends, will not thy tongue cleaue to the roofe of thy mouth, thine eies be dim to behold them come to visit thee? How strange is thy misery inflicted vpon thy body? did euer eye behold the like? Thy seeming sanctitie was assured sin, for hast thou confirmed him that was falling, and strengthned the knees of the weake? Hath thy tongue dropped ho­nie into the heauie brest, and art thou as a man despairing of all hope? either thy consolations to them were the flou­rishes of thy speech, and had no affinitie with thy faith, or thou art inconstant in thy confidence. It is suspicious that the practise of that Physician is counterfet [Page 108]who admits of no such medicines as he hath ministred to others. Thou hast perswaded others patience in their per­plexities, to lift vp their heads in the middest of their heauinesse, yet now when thou art afflicted thou frettest: thou hast ministred to others comforts in their calamities; tribulation hath tou­ched thee and thou art troubled: thou hast aduised them cast Anchor during the continuance of their stormes; and art thou so vnsetled, that with the billow of euery waue thou art tossed? They must account that blessing which thou now esteemest a bane, they must accept that as a Plaister which thou deemest a plague, else why dost thou curse the day of thy birth and the night of thy natiui­tie, wish the doore of thy mothers wombe shut, and her brests by thee ne­uer sucked? It was either euill that thou then exhortedst, or thou now wicked that dost not now admit it. Where is thy former righteousnesse whereof thou so much presumedst? Remember I pray [Page 109]thee, who euer perished being an inno­cent, or where were the vpright destroi­ed? They that plow iniquitie and sow wickednes, reape the same; if thou hadst beene deuout, thy deuices had not beene scattered. Was it not thy conscience of sin which stopped thy mouth and made thee silent? Whence is this that thy words are swallowed vp? not from thy sinne? Whence is it that the venome of the Almighties arrowes drinke vp thy spirits? not from thy sinne? whence is it that the terrors of God fight against thee? not from thy sinne? Those who did in thy prosperitie admire thee, now mocke at thee; they who hate thee open their mouthes vpon thee; thine eies be­hold it, and thou canst not helpe it; thine eare heares it, and thou canst not shun it; euery sense is sorrowes subiect, and thou canst not ease it. Death is better than deri­sion, as appeares in Sampson: and nothing more vnpleasing vnto Dauid than vn­thankfulnesse, yet thy brethren flie from thee, thy acquaintance are stran­gers [Page 110]to thee, neighbours forsake thee, fa­miliars haue forgotten thee, thy friends for hony giue thee gall, for comforts corasiues: where before all diligence was yeelded, thy desires are now denied; where before thy command was answe­red with all cheerefull readinesse, thy praiers cannot now preuaile. Thy ser­uants speede is slacknesse. Nay, is not thy soule tormented, that thy wife whose willingnesse should not be wan­ting to worke thy ease, is afraid to come neere that breath, which she with de­light sometime sucked? Neither your former faith, nor mutuall loue, nor the remembrance of the children of thine owne body, can either moue her to prouide for thy health, or pittie thy mishap, but casting off all care of thy good conscience towards God, per­swades thee to blaspheme him, and die accursed. Doe not they whose fathers thou refusedst to set with thy flockes mocke thee? doe not the children of fooles and villaines more vilde than [Page 111]earth, spit in thy face, and spare not to abhorre and make songs of thee? Doth not age neglect, and youth push at thee, and all take pleasure in thy calamitie? How hast thou offended that God, who casts not away the vpright! Thou art wicked, else would hee take thee by the hand, thy reioycing should not be so short, nor thy ioy so momen­tary. Doth he stablish the posterity of the righteous, and were not thy children in the midst of their feasting sent to the place of their iniquitie? There is some deepe matter in thee: wickednesse was sweet in thy mouth; though it lay hid vnder thy tongue, thou didst fauour it and wouldst not forsake it, and therefore thou hast vomited thy substance, and thy mounting in excellency is perished as thy dung; neither is there hope left for ease or remedie. Thou art compas­sed with endlesse care; no tongue to comfort thee, no hand to helpe thee, no musicke to delight thine eare and cure the sting of this Tarantula. Where is [Page 112]any freedome from byles in thy body, any ease in thy bed, any solace in thy spirit? Painfull nights are appointed thee, and no mitigation of thy misery in the day. The Almighty, the Almighty hath set himselfe against thee, and will not let thee alone till thou swallow thy spittle; and art thou not as one that tea­reth his soule in anger? Better a short life than such a lingring death, and therefore, curse God and die. Vnto which blasphe­my the extremity of his woes had drawne him, if the feare of God had not resisting preserued the fire of faith, and continued the power of patience with these perswasions: What hast thou lost? that which was neuer thine when first thou sawest the light. And what are Ox­en, Camels, Seruants, Children? did not God giue them vpon condition, that thou shouldst resigne them? wilt thou desire to with-hold that which hee will haue, or endeuour to recouer what he did take? haue not seruants bin the cause of sorrow to some masters? Children [Page 113]the occasion of discontent to some Pa­rents: Riches the ruine of many men: and might not all haue beene so to thee? The earth is none of thy peculiar, thou expectest thy patrimony in a better place: It is not thy proper right, it is gi­uen into the hands of the wicked, who many times are most wealthy. Let it not then grieue thee, that thou art not loaded with the clay of a strange coun­trey, nor adorned with the counterfeit pearles of a forraine people. High aduance­ment and great fauours in another nation, are not alwaies seconded with good successe. What though thy misery is not limited with want, but enlarged with many woes, not in missing good, but suffering griefe? Greater than thy selfe haue felt the weight of the Lords hand, Job 12.19.21. for he leadeth Counsellers away spoiled, and maketh the Iud­ges fooles: he looseth the bond of Kings, and girdeth their loynes with a girdle: He leadeth Princes away spoiled, and powreth contempt vp­on them; he weakeneth the strength of the mighty and ouerthroweth them. But howso­euer [Page 114]the same afflictions arrest not, the same euent at the end attendeth all men: One dieth in his full strength being in all ease and prosperity, Iob. 21. his breasts runne full of milke, and his bones are full of marrow. And another dieth in the bitternesse of his soule, and neuer eateth with pleasure; they shall sleepe both in the dust, and the wormes shall couer them: what plea­sure hath the former in his prosperity, when the number of his moneths is cut off? may he not be one of those, who is kept vnto the day of destruction, and shall bee brought forth to the day of wrath? or what disprofit hath the latter either in life or death? In life, doth not his miseries lift vp his minde to God, open his eare to discipline, and draw his feet from iniquitie? Job 28. Iron is taken out of the dust, and Brasse is moulten out of the stone: out of the same earth commeth bread, and vn­der it as it were is fire turned vp. From the dust of misery proceedeth the strength of affiance, and from the stone of cala­mitie commeth contrition: from affli­ction [Page 115]is fetched the bread of instruction, and vnder them as it were is turned vp the fire of deuotion. Be it that thy tri­bulations be tedious, thou hast sinned and thou must suffer: yet thy God who seemeth to set himselfe against thee, is mans preseruer, will he destroy the worke of his owne hands, which he loueth, or de­face that image which he affecteth? Ac­quaint thy selfe with him and make peace, and thereby thou shalt haue pro­speritie: Iob 9.15. though thy righteousnesse were as a robe vpon thee, yet thy safest course were to supplicate his grace. Be thou patient, and hee will speake peace vnto thy soule; gird vp thy loines like a man, looke on his creatures, and obserue his power, which by euery thing is obeyed; note his wisdome, whereby euery thing is disposed: He that shut vp the sea with doores, 38.8. can aswell stop thy sorrowes. Hee that commandeth the morning light can as suddenly sparkle the beames of his bounty vpon thee. 10 He putteth an end and setteth a bound to darknesse and the sha­dow 20 [Page 116]of death: and cannot he chaine thy calamity, and finish thy perplexities? Though he kill thee, 13.15. yet trust in him and call vpon him. What is it he cannot doe; or what meanes is vnknowne vnto him? Let death sease vpon thee; if thou reliest on him, thou shalt liue, and therefore wait: thy daies may end in prosperity; and thy yeares in pleasure. In death: Art not thou perswaded that thy redeemer li­ueth, and shall stand the last on earth, and that thou shalt behold him, not with other but with these thine eies? behold him, not as an an­gry Iudge to condemne, but a louing Sauiour to absolue thee: behold him not as a reuenger of thy sinnes, but as a Redeemer of thy soule.

Thus doth the feare of God enter­taine for vs the combat, and fight cou­ragiously; yet this were not so comfor­table, if it did not Conquer victoriously; but now vpon the conflict followeth the conquest. For did not this sword murder the bloudy command of Pha­roh, in the hearts of the Aegyptian Mid­wiues? [Page 117]did not this stone flying from the heart of Ioseph strike sinne on the head, so that it sunke downe groueling vpon the ground neuer to reuiue againe? Many and sore were the skirmishes which Iob had with Satan, impatience, and his affliction, but 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 [Page 118]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, [Page 119]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 Well­spring, 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 [Page 120]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 [Page 121]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 [Page 122]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 [Page 123]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: whereupon the Prophet Dauid perswadeth all the earth and all that dwell in the world to feare him. Extraordinary acts imprint in men a reuerent awe to the Agent: what our eare heareth, our eye obserueth, our iudgement appre­hendeth [Page 124]to bee spoken, seene or done, and was not cast in our mould, not por­traied in our proportion, not compre­hensible in our iudgements, leaueth in the heart a seale of an admiring reue­rence and reuerent admiration. Ieremy who with Iohn Baptist participated of the same manner of calling to their seuerall functions, in contemplation of the Lords great power, with whom none is to be compared, seemes to bee peremp­tory, and concludeth with a none-ex­cepting-question-answering admirati­on: Jer. 10.7. Who would not feare thee, O King of na­tions!

Why did you, Exod. 14.31. yee people of Israel, yeeld such reuerence vnto the Lord, te­stifie such feare of his name, manifest such a we in his Worship? Oh you that now liue, would yee know the ground and cause of our fearing him? The Mountaines which did hinder our pas­sage, were cast downe by the Lords po­wer; the Vallies which threatned our contempt, were filled vp by his working; [Page 125]the mighty men in Aegypt were discou­raged, and the meane ones were afraid by his might; his power turned their waters into bloud, so as they wanted to quench their thirst; his power brought Frogs ouer all their land, euen into their Kings houses, odious to their choisest sights; his power turned dust to Lice, abhorred of their daintiest touch, his po­wer corrupted the earth with swarmes of Flies, offen siue to their sweetest smels; his power sent a murraine amongst their cattel, so as prouision was hindred; his power by casting vp ashes brought scabs vpon all their skinnes, so as their beauty was spoiled; by his power the Heauens opened their windowes, and sent forth haile and fire mingled toge­ther, haile of the nature to quench fire, and fire of the nature to dry vp haile, so as whosoeuer was in the fields felt, but neuer reported the violence of them; his power brought Grashoppers, so as their Fruit was deuoured; his power brought darknesse, so as the comfort of seeing, [Page 126]conferring, associating one with ano­ther was denied; his power depriued of life their first borne, Gen. 49.3. their might, the beginning of their strength, the excellency of their digni­ty, & the excellency of their power, the hope of their succession, the comfort of their yeeres, and the staffe of their age: so as they became like water spilt vpon the earth, as vnpro­fitable for any vse, as it is without ex­pectation of being gathered; his power diuided their waters, set vs free, and put them in fetters, so as they could not passe, stopped their breath and brought their confusion. These seized (O yee sonnes of men) vpon our soules, filled our apprehensions with admiration of that great God which hath so confoun­ded their counsels, ouerthrowne their deuices, and preuailed against their po­wer, who did resist his will and plot our woe, hinder his Word and deter­mine our ruine, that wee cannot but feare him. Tell me, O Pharaoh, what hath thy greatnesse got thee? Greatnesse with­out godlinesse is become thy griefe; in [Page 127]what hath thy sorcery preuailed for thee? it could neither salue thy sore, nor procure thy succour; what hath thy wisdome produced to thee? it could nei­ther warne thee, nor warrant thee a­gainst these plagues: what goodnesse haue thy gods granted? they could nei­ther prouide for thy good, nor preuaile against his greatnesse, whose most con­temptible creatures haue beene his mighty army to subdue thy might. Him will I feare, whose hand thou hast felt; him will I reuerence, whose power hath curbed thy peruersnesse. Can I consider the counsell of the wise by him turned to folly, the strength of the potent by him turned to impotency, the malice of the enuious turned to their owne mischiefe, and not feare him? Oh the power of his feare! With it my soule is rauished, through it my heart is enlarged, by it my affections are inflamed with a desire of and a delight in it. When I suruey his rare, vnexpected, vnthought of preserua­tion of those that feare him, and confusion [Page 128]of those that are disobedient to him, let the waters cease to drowne, the fire to burne, winds to blow, seas to boile, earth their solidity, Heauens their glory, sooner than I to forget or cease to feare him: for what Dauid feares not, seeing Vzzah strucke to death, 2. Sam. 6.9. for comming vpon what colour soeuer without the limits of his owne calling? my flesh trembleth for feare of thee, and I am afraid of thy Iudgements, which worke feare of thee in the heart of the very Heathen.

The people whom the King of Ashur (after he had caried away the Israelites) placed in Samaria, 2. King. 17.24, 25, 26, 27. were slaine by Lions, and the superstitious policy of his Prin­ces would prouide a remedy, and send of the Priests to worship God in their owne fashion, according to former cu­stome of that Nation, who being now a commixed people, ver. 33, 34. performed a diui­ded seruice, and are said to feare God, and yet not to feare him. It was rotten at the core, faulty at the heart, they feared him as a negligent seruant doth his ma­ster, [Page 129]to auoid displeasure, not as an obe­dient sonne his father to discharge his duty: we must not feare as a Slaue doth a Tyrant in dread of his law, but as a faith­ful subiect doth a fauourable Soueraigne out of loue: That is the feare of the Re­probate, which in time of extremity driues them from him, and causeth them to murmure when they are afflicted: This the feare of his children, which in time of misery drawes them to him, and causeth them to magnifie him when they are corrected. Whence it is some­times taken for his whole worship, and may thus bee discerned by the effects it worketh, whether we consider God, our selues, or others. In respect of God, finde me prayer, patience, piety, praise, and you cannot faile of his feare.

Where true feare hath taken sure pos­session, there is feruent, frequent prayer, as Eliphaz the Temanite truly affirmed, how vnaptly soeuer he applide it to Iob: Surely, saith he, thou hast cast off feare, Iob. 15.4. and restrainest prayer before God. Note how [Page 130]confidently he doth affirme it; his heart, his affection, his reason, his soule and spirit were so possessed with the truth of this (that there is no restraining of prai­er where the feare of God is) that hee takes them to be inseparable: and iustly, for feare being the beginning of wisdome, Prou. 9.10. foreseeth the danger and preuenteth it by prayer, presents a blessing and pro­cures it by prayer, reuealeth Gods plea­sure and obtaineth ability to obey it by prayer. There is no good which is not truly disciphered, no euill which is not liuely delineated by feare, the one whereof is obtained, and the other a­uoyded only by prayer.

Be it that hee deferreth to grant the suites we make, conferreth not his bles­sings which we neede, or withdraweth not his hand which we feele, or conti­nueth to shake his Rod, which we feare will fall vpon vs, yet by our patience may we know we feare him, Psal. 115.11. depending vpon his power, bearing of the punish­ment, ready to embrace his pleasure, [Page 131]either in accepting of our desires, or af­flicting our deserts: for the feare of God which neuer exalteth, Prou. 3.7. euer submitteth it selfe, being opposite to presumption, Deut. 17.13. bani­sheth carnal security, Zeph. 3.7. the feare of God re­ceiueth instruction, and becommeth patient to behold the Lords end in deferring the manifestation of his mercy, in the con­tinuing his childrens misery, and in his threatning their future calamity; con­ceiting (not daring to misconceit any thing of the Lord) that it is either for the prouing of their faith and constancy, the purging of their filth and impurity, the preuenting of their sinne and iniqui­ty, and the prouiding for the continu­ance of their piety, vnto which the feare of God is alwaies glued.

As when Iosuah had called to the re­membrance of the Israelites the Lords both iustice and mercy; Jos. 4.14. iustice vpon their enemies, mercy towards them, hee exhorts them to feare the Lord, but withall aduiseth that it want not the true companion, vpright seruing of him: [Page 132]and the Prophet Dauid when he had af­firmed that man blessed who feareth the Lord, Psal. 112.1. hee instantly addeth, and delighteth onely in his Commandements: as if there could be no true reuerencing of the Lord, without due regarding of his lawes; no standing in awe of his wrath, without obseruing of his will; no fearing of his name, if failing in his worship. Thence is it that the Lord himselfe giues it as a charge, and laies it downe as a statute neuer to be repealed or appealed from: Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him. Deut. 6.13. Gen. 22.12. And testifieth with and to Abra­ham, that he truly feared him because he withheld not his sonne, his only sonne. And Salomon when hee would describe true feare (his description though plaine, is pithy, though short, yet sententious) paints it out to this purpose, and makes the hating of euill to bee the badge of it, Pro. 8.13. Iob. 1.1. Act. 10.2. which Iob did weare, and Cornelius was not without.

And lastly, whosoeuer receiueth from the Lords hand good or euill, sorrow or [Page 133]solace, gladnesse or griefe, how euer his prayers may seeme to bee reiected, his patience neglected, his piety not regar­ded, yet he giues praise, or else hee feareth not. Feare opens the eyes, and lets him see the Lords mercy, Psal. 118.4. which deales with him so mildly, his wisdome disposing all things so warily, his prouidence at­tending all things so watchfully, him­selfe so vnworthy, the Lord so wise; himselfe vndutifull, the Lord for all that so many waies bountifull; himselfe so disobedient, the Lord so prouident for him; himselfe carelesse of the Lords ho­nour, the Lord still following him with his fauour, that he cannot but both in minde and mouth praise his name, by whose power hee is thus preserued, knowing that in this he doth put on no other Liuery than hee is enioyned, nor take any other companion to true feare than is required by the Prophet Dauid, Psal. 22.23. Praise yee the Lord that feare him.

And for our selues, then may we be sure that the feare of God swaies in our soules, [Page 134]when our minds are enlightned with pru­dence, our prudence seconded with proui­dence, our prouidence attended with hope, our hope assisted with power, our power made apparant by preuailing, and pre­uailing continued in stability, either con­cerning what may tend to Gods glo­ry and our good, or threaten his dis­honour and our eternall hatred: For to whom soeuer the feare of the Lord is, as it is in it selfe, a treasure, he drawes thence, Es. 33.6. Geneu. transl. as from an Armory, Know­ledge, Wisdome, Saluation, Strength and Stability, as is not obscurely declared by that Euangelicall Prophet, who speaking to the heart of Zion, com­forting her in the destruction of them that spoiled her, assureth her of double felicity, the one is liberty through deliue­rance, and the other stability in her free­dome; which stability is branched out in the meanes whereby it is preserued, & the roote from whence it is deriued: the meanes whereby it is preserued are, strength for preuailing, safety in resisting, wis­dome [Page 135]in prouiding, knowledge in discerning. The Roote out of which euery one of these branches buddeth, and the foun­dation whereupon hee builds this bulwarke of their consolation, is the feare of the Lord. Now seeing by what meanes any thing is preserued, by the same meanes often it is obtained: we may take the Prophets gradation in the Retrograde, and then we finde the feare of God to be the fountaine out of which the rest, as little riuers, doe issue, though in their different neerenesse or remotenesse. Howsoeuer, as by the colours the soul­diers discerne their Captaine, as by fol­lowing the streame we come to the spring, as by tracing the Conduit pipes we finde the head of the riuer: so we may see where this grace resteth, if wee can espy her hand-maids wai­ting.

The first and neerest whereof is Pru­dence, with which the feare of God en­lightneth the soule, as a candle the darkest house, and driueth away the [Page 136]mists of ignorance and error; as the Sunne rising disperseth any clouds or vapours. For it informeth the reason, perswadeth the will, tutereth the affecti­ons, and directeth the actions: presen­teth to the minde, both heauens myste­ries and hellish mischiefes; openeth to the vnderstanding, the records of cele­stiall secrets and infernall subtleties; lay­eth before the will, the Lords Maiestie, and his Childrens felicitie; Satans ma­lice and the damneds misery; offereth to the affections, virtues dignitie, and vices deformity; and tendereth to euery action, as the proper end, glory or igno­miny, Psal. 111.10. paine or pleasure: Whence Dauid (the worthiest father) and Solomon (the wisest sonne) affirme, Prou. 1.7. that it is the begin­ning of Wisdome, and the Lord assureth him, in whom his feare remaineth, that hee will bee his teacher, Psal. 25.12. euen hee who is wisdome, knowledge, and truth. So as Prudence to discerne is one of the notes whereby the feare of God is knowne.

But because where the enemy know­eth wisdome wanteth, hee the rather at­tempteth, in that the heart is surprised with a greater feare in the approach of danger, and the soule tortured with a more grieuous torment in the apprehen­sion of safety, perceiuing both, yet not conceiuing which way either to pre­uent the one or be partaker of the other, the feare of God leauing not his harbou­rer either deceiued or vnfurnished, nor the enemy vnaffrighted or vnpreuented, hangeth forth another flag, and that is, prouidence, Greg. in moral. Timere Deum est nulla, quae faci­enda sunt, praete­rire bona. wisely preparing euery thing which Prudence suggested as pertinent or expedient, and neglecting nothing which wisdome hath reuealed as requi­site for preuention. What was it which moued Noah that preacher of righteousnesse to prepare the Arke, Heb. 11.7. whereby he and his fa­mily were saued in the worlds great de­luge? Was it not reuerence to him who threatned their ruine, reuealed his deliue­rance? Exod. 9.20. What perswaded the Aegyptians to driue their cattell and keepe themselues [Page 138]within their houses, till the haile and the danger was past? Was it not a dread of his power, who had made knowne that plague and the danger of it? What was it which caused the Apostle of the Gen­tiles, notwithstanding the Lord promi­sed safety to himselfe and all that sailed with him, Act. 27.29.31. in that great danger of ship­wracke, not to suffer any to goe out of the Ship? was it not feare to prouoke and distrust him, who had so gratiously made knowne his pleasure? Whence it is that Iob the patterne of patience, who saw many of Satans plots, and was sen­sible of many perplexities, Iob 28.18. Pro. 14.27. Psal. 11.10. calls it wis­dome it selfe; for it is a Well-spring of life to auoid the snares of death, and all they are ac­counted of a good vnderstanding that do there­after.

Now lest any, through the multi­tude of Foes, greatnesse of contrary strength, or strangenesse of Stratagems, which he either seeth or conceiueth, and against which he prepareth, might, con­scious of his owne spirituall wisdome [Page 139]and naturall weaknesse, feare to faile in the encounter, the feare of God holdeth forth an assisting hand, and ministreth hope of safety, by presenting the greatnesse of Gods power, the graciousnesse of his promi­ses, and certainty of his protection: For by what was the true feare of God, which neuer maketh flesh its arme, more ma­nifest in vndaunted Daniel, Dan. 3.17. and his fel­lowes, then in their hope of deliuerance grounded on Gods power to preserue them? By what can the beames of this grace more sparkle out then by relying on his promises? Therefore the Prophet Dauid maketh the attending on his mercies, Psal. 147.11. the expectation of his mercifull promises, an attendant on it, by which it may be knowne as a fit guest by his marriage garment; and lest wee might thinke him to imply that, whereof he was not perswaded, hee maketh his prayer the proclaimer of his hope, and manifesteth his hope in the promise to be grounded on his feare of God. Psal. 119.38. How shall we know that Simeon feared God? Aske Gods ho­ly [Page 140]spirit, his comfortable intelligencer, our best interpreter of the truth, and hee will tell vs, and let vs see the signe, looke on him; behold ye his hope expecting, his expectation waiting for the consolation of Israel? Luke 2. Doe you iudge of a man by his mates, and of his condition by his companions? Luke 2.25, 26. and can you not see Si­meon to be a man who feared God, see­ing with it is ioyned his waiting for the accomplishment of that promise, of not seeing death till hee had seene the Lord Christ? Lastly, the hope of the Lords as­sistance is assured by the certainty of his protection, and certaine perswasion that his eyes are ouer those that feare him, Psal. 34.7. and that his Angell pitcheth his Tent round about them. Dauid a man sore turmoiled in many troubles, had fainted, but his strength was by the Word of God, Psal. 130.5. the word of his promise, sustained. Feare of the Lords Maiesty presented his power, his pro­mise and his protection, and comforted Dauids heart, for it is alwaies accompa­nied with hope.

And when hope beholdeth assistance, as then the feare of God administreth courage to enter the lists, entertaine the combat, so it furnisheth with strength, to defend the soule, offend the assaylants; Pro. 14.26. defend the soule, for in it is assured, an assu­red strength; it is not a fayling, but a fortifying, not a shrinking but endu­ring, not a false, but a firme fortresse. No dart can pierce it, no blow wound it, no shot enter into it, a bulwarke that cannot bee vndermined, a Ca­stle that cannot bee battered, a Ci­tie that cannot bee ransacked. It was a shield to couer Ioseph from the wound of concupiscence; a buckler to beare off the blow of impatience bur­goning from Iobs friends and afflicti­ons; a brestplate to all the Saints, to keepe safe their hearts from all spirituall hurts, and more powerfull than that Lawrell, which Tiberius Cesar is said to weare, to preserue them from the dan­ger of Satans Thunderbolts, and so de­fends the soule. It no lesse offends the [Page 142]assailants, defeating Sathan of his hopes, and enforcing him and his to take their flight. It defeateth him of his hopes, fet­tring our affections, sugring our afflictions, seasoning our spirituall foode. It fette­reth our affections with the chaines of Gods displeasure; It danteth our car­nall resolutions with a sight of his powerfull anger, it bridleth our vnlimi­ted desires with the reines of his threatnings, and glutteth the greedi­nesse of our sinfull appetites, with pre­senting his power. What deuillish de­light is not distasted? What fleshly hope is not frustrated? What hellish deed is not crossed? where the feare of God resideth? It, as the oyle of Nenuphar, cooleth the desire of sinne, and as that fountaine in Armenia turneth our hottest loue of iniquity to a cold liking. It su­greth our afflictions, as Elishaes wood sweet­ned the bitter waters, lest griefe should make vs senslesse through too much suf­fering; and as the tree Alpia, rather withe­reth with the due of mercy, then wa­steth [Page 143]with the fire of misery. It seasoneth our spirituall food: For, hath Satan cast in­to the pots of our celestiall nourish­ment, the gourds of false glosses, or er­roneous interpretations, or any way corrupted the sacred well of saluation, that we expecting an Egge might fasten vpon a stone, looking for a fish catch a serpent, or thinking to be quenched might be poysoned? The feare of God as Elishaes meale, maketh that meate wholsome, and hauing tried it with the rules of pietie, faith, and charity, auoides as with the Vnicornes horne, the sack­ing in of soule-killing poyson. Thus it defeateth Sathan of his hopes, preuen­ting his fallacies, weakning his forces, dashing his hellish Impes against the wall, crushing sinne as a Cockatrice in the shell, nay binding Sathans hands with feruent praier, and wounding his head with the two edged sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, that he is inforced to fly, hating as much the beholding of this grace in gods [Page 144]children, as the Serpent disliketh the shadow of the Ashe tree, which rather chuseth (if it must needes doe the one) to runne into the fire than come neere it, whether he see it in the morning of their conuersion, or the euening of their dissolution; at the Sunne rise of their prosperity, or the Sunne set of their ad­uersity, and so preuaileth. For it is not visited, Prou. 19.23. not so visited with euill, as it shall be vanquished: For maugre the malice of all, it bringeth stability with it, and doth persist.

Though it day by day bee allured to folly, as it neglecteth at the first, so at least it distasteth, all allurements euen at the last. This fire enflameth the soule with 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 [Page 145]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; [Page 146]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, [Page 147] 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 [Page 148]flower of the 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 [Page 149] 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; wast 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 [Page 150]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 [Page 151]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 obedience; Submissiue reuerence, Prou. 16.31. for age is a crowne of glory, especially if it bee [Page 152]found in the way of righteousnesse; a glorious Crowne, (by others so to be conceiued, but howsoeur so it is in it selfe considered) to which all respect must be rendred, the rendring whereof draweth the affections of all to delight in it. It is like faire weather in the height of haruest, no lesse comfortable than profitable, no lesse profitable than comfortable, comfortable to them that receiue it, profitable to them that yeeld it, both comfortable and pro­fitable to them that see it: to them who re­ceiue it, it is like the song of the Swanne before her death, the warmth of the fire to a cold benummed body, sweet words to a departing friend, and the vn­derpropping to a declining wall. For this stirreth vp their fire that lay vnder the dead ashes through age almost ex­tinguished, this addeth more oyle to their Lamps, so as they shine more com­fortably in themselues, more brightly to others benefit, though welnigh consu­med. To them that yeeld it, it is a lawrell to adorne their heads with honour, and [Page 153]a treasure to enrich their hearts with grace, purchasing the applause of men, and procuring that praise which is of God. To them that see it, it is the raui­shing of their affections with ioy, the filling of their minds with pleasure, and their mouthes with praise, ministring matter either for imitation or instructi­on. Now this leafe of this Rose, whose beauty doth so inchant the eie, is not pre­sented in true manner without the feare of God, as the Lord himselfe will witnes. Thou shalt rise vp before the hoary head, Leu. 19.32. and honour the person of the old man, and dread thy God. A silly Ideot may rise vp before the hoary head, and yet not consider that grauity is a representation of his Makers wisdome: a Heathen wise man may honor the person of the aged, and yet not take notice that old age pourtraieth out in a speciall manner the Lords eterni­ty: a morall Christian may both rise vp and honour the graue man, and in doing thereof meditate that the Lord is onely wise and the ancient of daies, and [Page 154]yet faile to performe it in a due manner; and therefore hee addeth, and dread thy God; as if this gaue the other duties their life and lustre: and surely this honour giuen in a true and reuerent manner, groweth in no garden-plot, but onely where the feare of God is planted; so as we may know it by the first property of the Rose; which is, if it feede the sight and breed submissiue reuerence.

The other property is, odore olfactum af­ficere, to delight the smell with the sweet­nesse of the sauour in sincere obedience: For what is our rising vp before the hoary head, if our heart lye groueling? What is the honouring of the aged person with our affections, if not testified by our actions? heart and hand concurring in this honour to our Superiours, is as ac­ceptable as Incense vnto God, and as the sweetest perfume vnto man; the one so highly esteemeth sincere obedience to Superiours, that he maketh it by way of motiue a patterne for his peoples practise, Ier. 35. Col. 3.22. and by it puts them in minde of their duty to­wards [Page 155]him; with the other, it is of such powerfull operation, that what paines soeuer they take for those of whom they are ouerseers, Heb. 13.17. the same is turned to plea­sure, and they are glad when they can promoue their good. Such is the proper­ty of this Rose: but can it be plucked in euery hedge, or found in euery field? ah no, it is of Heauens sowing, and is not to be had saue in that heart, nor seene saue in that hand which the feare of God directeth. When Ioseph propounded a condition to his brethren, who knew him not, promising life vpon the ob­seruation of that condition, by perfor­ming whereof hee in some sort was to become their inferiour, because their debter, preoccupateth and preuenteth what they might obiect: Thou art the chiefe vnder Pharaoh, euen as the Lord of the whole Land of Aegypt; if one of vs be left as a Prisoner, and he miscarry through too much misery, who will call thee to account, dare accuse thee of cruelty, or can cause thee to answer for [Page 156]his life? If hee continue aliue (though a prisoner) till our returne, when wee haue brought our youngest brother, whose company is our fathers comfort, whose health his happinesse, and whose death (which God preuent) will cut the thred of his aged life (which God pre­serue) if thou determinest to keepe the one in bonds, and bind the other to a like condition, let vs complaine, thou art Pharaohs eare, we shall not be heard; let vs pleade, thou art Pharaohs mouth, our doome shall be harsh; let vs vpon the sentence craue pardon, and humbly beg a mitigation of the penalty, thou art Pharaohs hand, and our burthen shall continue heauy. Wee haue made thee acquainted with the greatnesse of our pinching famine, is it not in thy power to exact one after another till we all be thy seruants, or else to withhold thy helpe? But how doth Ioseph remoue these mists, and cleere their minds of these misconceits? What signe could hee hang out that they might know [Page 157]the truth of his heart? or what pawne doth hee tender whereby they might cast themselues vpon his trust? What earnest doth hee giue to binde that bargaine, and assure them of his honest dealing? by no better token can mans faith be manifested, by no signe his sin­cerity made more knowne, by no pledge his truth more plainely demon­strated; for it was his feare of God which he engaged; Gen. 42.18. Doe this and liue (saith he) for I feare God; Intimating that whereuer this grace is grafted, trust may certainly be reposed, and vnblameable dealing assuredly expected. The same may be collected from the speech of Ie­thro giuing aduice to Moses to select some among the people to beare with him the burthen of their affaires; for in pre­scribing the persons which would bee fit to be so emploied, he describes their properties to be foure, Men of courage, Exod. 18.22. fearing God, men dealing truly, hating coue­tousnesse; Which wee anatomizing, may behold the feare of God lying in the [Page 158]midst as the heart in man, and though it incline to one side, yet from thence issueth life both to that side and euery part beside; For if there bee fearing of God, the might or malice of man can­not preuent; if there be fearing of God, neither the glistring of gold, nor a boun­tifull bribe can corrupt; for the feare of God begets courage, and courage hateth to be captiued by couetousnesse: And where courage triumpheth and couetousnesse is hated, there dealing tru­ly is harboured: wheresoeuer then is the feare of God, there true dealing may be found. Why did Cornelius chuse a souldier which feared God to attend vpon him? Acts 10.2. sure­ly he dreamed of his greater diligence: why did the same Cornelius select that souldier 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 [Page 159]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 [Page 160]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 [Page 161]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 [Page 162]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 [Page 163]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. [Page 164]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 [Page 165]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 answer, by be­ing filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding: Col. 1.9.10. So as we must not conceiue of feare, where­of the Lord speaketh by Ieremy, as though he meant the act: For first in euery grace there is God conferring it vpon man; mans reflexing at the gifts collation backe vpon God, and then diffusing of [Page 166]it in the fruits among men. Vnity in o­pinion (one heart) and concordancy in action (one way) hath relation of man to man, and therefore is not the cause of that true feare which was infused first by God himselfe; so as by feare there we are to vnderstand not abstractiuely as it is seuered, but concretiuely as it is ioyned with degrees or circumstances; and in­deed, sometimes the act is taken for the measure how farre it is extended; som­times for the extent of time to the which it reacheth, and then it is as if the Lord had said, I will giue them one heart and one way, that it may bee manifest and made apparant to any that make question of it, that they feare me in no little measure. Besides, hee speakes of the time for e­uer, whereof vnitie is a great occasion: For where a Church within it selfe by Schismes is disioynted, the feare of God is greatly cooled, and where the feare of God is cooled, the continuance of that Church may bee iustly doubted. Doe we then finde in our selues a desire, and [Page 167]see we in others and our selues the pra­ctises of peace, a striuing for vnity, an embracing of concord? Is there among vs agreement in opinion, sympathy in affection, concord in conuersation, eclesiasticall, oeconomicall, politicall? wee may assure our selues the feare of God abides among vs, for we keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Ephes. 4.3. which is one speciall part of our walking worthy of that calling wherunto in Christ we are called. Now this worthy walking is begot by wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding, Col. 1.9, 10. Pro. 1.7. where­of the feare of God is the beginning.

The last note of Gods feare is equity, which I may compare to Mandrakes, the smell whereof is commended by the Spouse, whereof there are two sorts, Male and Female. Cant. 7.13. Geneu. transt. The Mandrakes haue giuen a smell, and in our gates are all sweet things new and old. These are carried in either hand one, of him that feares God; which to euery sex, euery state doth iu­stice, not pittying the poore nor fauou­ring the rich, not fearing the mighty nor [Page 168]neglecting the meane, not vniustly hel­ping his friend nor hurting his foe, wher­by his name is an oyntment powred out, and de­lighteth the smell of them that come neere to sent it in the cōtinuance of their daies; at their death. They continue as the Palme-tree in the house of the Lord. Psal. 37.37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust, the end of that man is peace. It is no Thistle that beareth this Fig. What maketh Iudges execute iudge­ment? the feare of God. What maketh the great to keepe themselues free from oppression? the feare of God. What pre­serueth all men from iniurious dealing? the feare of God. But if that be wanting, the reines are laid on the necke of euerie sinne, and the spurre giuen to euerie in­iurie; what wrong is neglected, what wickednesse is omitted, what crueltie is vnacted, if the feare of God bee not embraced? Gen. 10.11. Abraham knew there was readinesse to act iniurie, pronenesse to commit iniquity, promptnesse to perpe­trate all wrong, where the feare of God was wanting, for how can they deale faithful­ly [Page 169]with any who haue no feeling of the goodnesse or greatnesse of the Lord?

Thus for the liuing: for the dead, e­uen by workes of charity towards them may we know we feare the Lord, so as whom the feare of God moued to ho­nour liuing, the same feare will prouoke vs to giue vnto him his due when hee is dead. Act. 7. That Protomartyr died for the pro­fession, euen in professing of the truth, such was the height and heate of that persecution, such the frowardnesse and fury of the Persecutors; so great it was against the Church at Ierusalem, that they were all scattered abroad through the re­gion of Iudea and Samaria. And was there not one to interre this Martyrs body, not one to couer it in the Graue, not one to cast this seede in hope of resurrection into the earth? If there were any, who durst aduenture to doe it? Saul made hauocke of the Church, entred into, not one, but euery house, and drew them out both men and women, and put them in prison. [Page 170]No place was vnsought, no person vn­sifted, no age fauoured, no sexe spared. Did the hoare head of the ancient finde mercy? no. Did the weeping eyes of be­wailing women behold pitty? no. Did the crying of little babes moue compas­sion? no. Their goods were made a spoile to the rauenous, their bodies were vsed as a prey by the malicious, their ho­nourable credits and neuer dying names were as Tennis-balls ignominiously tossed in the mouthes of the opprobri­ous. How was their hope weakned, their faith shaken, their spirits troubled, and they themselues eternally endange­red, Act. 22.4. seeing he persecuted this way euen vnto death. The malice of one might by ma­ny haue beene preuented, and many would haue receiued mutuall encou­ragement, and might haue performed mutuall duties of their profession, if one onely had persecuted: but alas, this way was contemned by the people, hated by the Priests, condemned by all. The people would speedily report [Page 171]what they either perceiued in, or saw done by any which inclined to it; the Priests instantly presse the punishing of what they heard, and the Rulers were as ready to giue sentence of scourging, ver. 5. if not death. Who then durst endanger their estates, hazard their liues, and in­terre Stephen? There were men, Act. 8.2. not meerely men, but men deuout fearing God, which carried him to his buriall, and made great lamentation ouer him, their reuerent deuo­tion cast out all doubt of death or dan­ger, and wrought in them a respect of that body whose Spirit was with the Lord to whom it was commended. Act. 7.59. And surely if it worke such regard of the liue­lesse corps of a Saint, what care will it not worke in men for the good and right of his left and liuing Image, and of euery one to whom his speciall loue and care was linked? For is it not a desperate presumption in the seruant whom hopefull feare should make obe­dient, to neglect that which his Master hath not onely laid before him by pat­terne, [Page 172]but laid vpon him by precept? De­stitute of reuerent deuotion is that man who seeing his glorious Creator conti­nuing his mercies to the childrens chil­dren of them that feare him, and hea­ring his gracious Redeemer giue a charge in giuing vp the ghost for the good of her that was deare vnto him, takes no care for the posterity of those who were interest in their Creators mer­cies and their Redeemers merits. And these are the signes by which the feare of God is discerned.

The plaister is made knowne, the physicke is prescribed, there wants no­thing but the applying of it. Are thy hands often stretched out to God? art thou content to wait his pleasure, to vndergoe his wrath, to endure the smart of his rod, though to thine owne ruine, with continuing in pietie towards him, and praising of him? Art thou in­formed, informed dost thou prouide, prouiding seest thou assistance to su­staine thy hope in encountring, encoun­tring [Page 173]findest thou strength in resisting, is thy resisting seconded with preuai­ling, and thy preuailing accompanied with persisting? Art thou pitifull to­ward, and prouident for, such as are more wofull than thy selfe, commisera­ting them in thine heart, comforting them in thy words, and helping them with thy best endeuors? Dost thou yeeld submissiue reuerence, and sincere obedi­ence, towards those who are any way aboue thee, or thou bound to? Liuest thou humbly, peaceably, iustly, with all? Hast thou a care to giue the dead their due, and is not thy loue finished when their life is ended, but dost thou mani­fest the truth of it towards them in theirs? Of a certaine the feare of God is in thee indeed, and surely his saluation, sauing assistance, assured safety is neere vnto thee. Thou needest not be afraid of the perillous time, thou shalt not be vi­sited with euill. Thou needest not be dis­couraged for Sathans subtleties, thou shalt auoid the snares of death. Thou needest [Page 174]not feare thy finall falling, for thou shalt continue. Pro. 14.27.

But as for those who liue as though they receiued no good from him, could haue no vse of him, or it were vnprofi­table for them to pray vnto him, who murmure in their miseries, grudge in all their griefes, snarle at the stones which hurt them, neuer looke to the hand which throwes them, who seeke not to him, as men without hope despairing of his helpe, who adde sinne to sinne, drinke iniquity like water, and pull trans­gression to them with Cart-ropes, who obserue no benefit or blessing from him, and therefore cannot hold him worthy either to be sanctified in them or mag­nified by them, who doubt no danger, preuent no perill, hope for no aide, haue no strength to resist, dare not encounter, and cannot conquer; yeeld themselues cowardly to bee captiued at Sathans plea­sure, and remaining without stability, haue their states like Reubens, Gen. 49. vnstable as water, and are themselues like water runne [Page 175]out and spilt vpon the earth, vnpossible to be gathered vp, or at best vnprofi­table for any necessary vse in the house of God, who mocke at others miseries without commiseration, take aduan­tage at others calamity to oppresse them, vse their power, wit, wealth, to worke their iniurious wills in others wants and weaknesse, who are so farre from furthering in, that they put the blinde out of his way, lay snares to entrap the ignorant, insult ouer the impotent, and are faithlesse in what is committed to them; whose pride, selfe-conceit, and arrogancy, stop the passage and damme vp the streame of mutuall comfort and conference, who embrace no opinion though most true, saue their owne, though most false; who admit of no alteration in things wherein change is commendable, preferring their owne censure, before the grauest sentence, their owne disgrace in recanting before Gods glorie, his Churches good, their owne eternall quiet, in confessing and disclai­ming [Page 176]what was either vnfit to bee done or thought, Prou. 31. wilfully forsaking their owne mercie; who with the Salamander, loue to liue in, though they might auoid, the fire of contention and contradiction, renting the Commonwealth with sedi­tions, and the Church with schismes, thinking suits in law to bee the surest course to keepe what their soules assure them is anothers right, and the wisest way still to hold what their conscience tels them is not truth: whose ingratitude forgets anothers goodnesse, lust re­spects not anothers interest, and care is to laugh though other weepe, selfe pleasing and profit making all fish that comes to net: All these are as farre from Gods feare, as they are neere to these faults, and as much as they are haunted with these hel­lish Hags, so little are they frequen­ted with those happinesses which ac­company the feare of God: For well may I say with the Prophet Dauid, Psal. 36.1. The transgression of the wicked man saith within [Page 177]my heart, that there is no feare of God before his eyes. My conscience tels me that sinne and impiety perswade the vngodly and vnrighteous person that there is no God of whom he should be afraid.

And what is the cause of all impiety toward God, iniquity towards man? Is it not the want of this feare? The Pro­phet there affirmes it. 2 For thence is it that he flattereth himselfe in his owne eies, vn­till his iniquity be found to be hatefull. Thence is it that, 3 the words of his mouth are iniqui­ty and deceit, and himselfe hath left off to be wise and to doe good. Thence is it that, He deuiseth mischiefe vpon his bed, setteth himselfe in a way that is not good, and abhorreth not euill. Rom. 3.10. And the Apostle Paul hauing from the same Prophet affirmed that None is righteous, no not one, proueth it by their in­ward defects, they had no vnderstanding; 11 by their outward failings in the generall course of their life, 12 They did not seeke after God, they are all gone out of the way: in the particular members of their bodies, 13 14 their throats are an open sepulcher, their tongues de­ceitfull, [Page 178]poysonous, 15 and bitter, and their feet are swift to shed bloud; 16 and then sheweth the iust recompence of that their vnrighte­ousnesse, that calamity and misery is in their waies, as attending on them in all their pathes; and lastly makes knowne the cause of all these their wants, wicked­nesse, 18 and woe, to be this, that there is no feare of God before their eies. Let vs then worke out our saluation with feare and trem­bling. Phil. 2.12. For it is the feare of God which bridleth the fury of men, and inte­resteth men deepely in the fauour of God, Gen. 31.29.42. Psal. 147.11.34.103.12, 13, 14. seeing the eies of the Lord are ouer them, his mercy towards thē is as great as the heauen is aboue the earth in height, and his louing kind­nesse is for euer and euer vpon them that feare him. Oh let vs ponder the purenesse of his iustice, and the greatnesse of his iudgements, that wee may attaine to a reuerence of his name aswell as a loue of his Maiestie, in the meditation of his mercy. Yet let not these two bee seue­red, for is he mercifully iust, and iustly mer­cifull, mixeth he clemencie with seuerity, and is [Page 179]not iustice in him separated from mercie? Man must then render vnto him a fearing loue, and a louing feare; for, what God hath ioyned to­gether, let no man put asunder. Now the fearing and louing of the Lord are lin­ked together by their, 1. Commander. 2. Causes. 3. Companions. 4. Subiects. 5. Acts. 6. Effects. 7. Opposites. 8. Con­ditions.

By their Commander, for Moses who was faithfull in all Gods house, and deliuered nothing vnto that people, vp­on whom God had fixed his affecti­on aboue other nations, without his warrant, testifieth the Lords will in these words, Deut. 10.12. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to feare the Lord thy God, to walke in all his waies, and to loue him, and to serue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule. Where we may perceiue the two affections, Feare and Loue, equally required. So as who­soeuer neglecteth the fearing of him, though (if they could be seuered) he loue him; or whosoeuer careth not to loue, [Page 180]though (if it were possible without the other) he should feare him, he be­comes a transgressor, Ia. 2.10, 11. rendring a single seruice, where a double dutie is requi­red, and so neglecting either, he stands guiltie for both, because he that enioy­ned the one, commanded the other, ei­ther of which who so omitteth, goeth against the will of the Commander; neither of them therefore must bee mis­sing, because both by the same autho­rity commanded. And as they are vni­ted by their Commander, so in their Causes they are confounded, for that Mercie should moue Loue none will que­stion, but that it should make vs Feare some may doubt, and without all perad­uenture to affirme it would seeme a Pa­radoxe, if the Prophet Dauid (a man af­ter Gods owne heart, and therefore knew what was his truth to bee deliue­red, and could not bee vnacquainted what was his will to bee reuealed, and surely to the Lord himselfe durst not haue produced the of-spring of his [Page 181]owne braine, a vaine conceit) turning to the Lord, had not auerred. Psal. 130 4. There is mer­cy with thee, therefore shalt thou bee feared. What is it now in the Prophets iudge­ment is the cause of feare? is it not mercy? This harsh-seeming and bitter-deemed fruit of feare must grow vpon that truly knowne pleasant, and taste-pleasing tree of his fauour, for so hath the Lord or­deined, as is recorded in the second of the Kings, the seuenteenth Chapter. Feare the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt with great power, and with a stretched out arme. His louing deliuerance must bee the foundation of their feare, and his pre­seruing of them, the roote from which must spring their reuerencing of him: whence it is that the Psalmist attribu­teth the fearing of the Lords name by the Heathen, Psal. 103.15, 16. and of his glory by the Kings of the earth, vnto one speciall act of his mercy, the repairing of his Zion. Deut. 10.11.21, 22. Now Moses though speaking with the same Spirit, declared what the Lord [Page 182]had done for Israel, how he had deliuered them from their enemies, placed them in the promised Land, the Land of coue­nant, done for them great and terrible things which their eyes had seene: and further, of seuenty persons had so mul­tiplied them, as they became as the stars of Heauen in multitude; and why doth hee number thus the Lords mercies? euen for this purpose, as hee himselfe expresseth, that these acts of mercy might bee motiues to enflame the peoples affections to him. Therefore (saith he) thou shalt loue the Lord thy God. Deut. 10.11.21.22. Ios. 23.9. In like manner doth Iosuah his successor, presse the same duty from the same ground, vpon the same people: For the time past, the Lord had driuen out be­fore them great Nations and strong, so fauourable hee was to them. No man was able to stand before them to that day, so mighty was he in them: For the time to come, one man of them should chase a thousand, so powerful he would be with them: all vndeniable arguments [Page 183]of his mercy towards them. But to what end doth he call to their remembrance the one, or giue them notice of the other? because in the effect, the consideration of the one is not so profitable as the re­membring of the other is precious; the truth whereof is implyed by the man­ner of the charge which is added. Vers. 11. Take heede, carelesnesse will proue a cora­siue; take good heede, a little negligence may bee the cause of great and long re­pentance; therefore, you haue seene his preseruations of you, haue heard his good purpose towards you, vnto your selues, selfe-caused woe is a festring wound, selfe-breeding folly is a double fault. Take good heede therefore vnto your selues, that yee loue the Lord your God. Is not now the Lords mercy a motiue to loue him, and is not his fa­uour an occasion of his feare? Surely his fauour doth inflame our affections to him, and kindle in our soules a feare of him: And as his mercy, so likewise his iustice is a cause of both. Iustice is [Page 184]indeed as oyle to continue the burning of the Lampe of feare, but it may seeme as water to quench the fire of loue. Seeme it may, but it doth not, in the Saints of God, for as Lime though it be naturally cold, as all stones are, partici­pating of the earth in substance and ge­nerall properties, yet it retaines in it an hidden heat and a fiery quality, Nat. bist. lib. 36. c. 33. Mirum, aliquid postquam arserit accendi aquis. Aug. de Ciu. Dei, Quod­dam valde mira­bile accidit, quia calx ex aqua in­cenditur, ex qua omnis ignis ex­tinguitur: oleo verò extingui­tur, quo omnis ignis nutritur. special­ly if it be once burnt (as Pliny saith) in so much that it is kindled by water; so the loue which the Saints beare to the Lord is more inflamed by his iudgements in­flicted on them, and through his iustice obserued by them: though they may seeme to be an hurt, in truth they are an helpe; though they may be thought to de­crease our loue, yet they are found to en­crease that loyalty which cannot be se­uered from loue. Psal. 119.175.62.164.52. Seuen times a day (saith Dauid) doe I praise thee because of thy righteous iudgements: though then the thinking of his iustice may be ima­gined to daunt our courage, yet the re­membring of his iudgements is the [Page 185]cause of comfort; I remembred thy iudge­ments of old, O Lord (saith that anointed of the Lord) and haue beene comforted: though the appearance of them quench our de­light in them, 20 yet the experience of them stirres vp our desire vnto them. My soule breaketh for the longing that it hath vnto thy iudgements at all times, And lest we should conceiue it onely of the Reuelation of his iustice in his word (as may be collected sometimes in that Psalme to be concei­ued as verses 137, 138.) 21 hee addeth the reason of that his desire, Thou hast destroy­ed the proud, (and by thy punishments de­clared that) they are cursed which doe erre from thy Commandements, so that there it must needes bee vnderstood of the exe­cution of them in his wrath vpon the wicked, or in his wisdome vpon the godly, which sorts of people may by them see his equity, which will cause them to loue him, and bee sensible of their owne misery, which will moue them in affection to flye vnto him; 12 yet the same Prophet in the same Psalme te­stifieth [Page 186]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 [Page 188]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 [Page 189]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 [Page 190]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. [Page 191]that feare him. Deut. 30.16. Is Feare made partaker of his blessings? Loue communicateth of his bounty. 19 Is Life the promised recom­pence of Loue? 20 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, [Page 192]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 see how neerely they are in them conioyned, if we obserue their mutuall, 1. Excellency. 2. Dignity. 3. Validitie. Their Excellency appeareth to bee the same, in that God hath indifferently made knowne himselfe (as it were by name) by either of them. Wee iustly [Page 193]make account of the name, especial­ly if it bee giuen of purpose, not by peraduenture, for the better finding out of the nature of that whereunto it is giuen, and if Embassadors receiue their respect according to the Maiestie of their Master whom they present, how shall we not esteeme of the excel­lency of both Loue and Feare, seeing the Lord himselfe who did all things (gaue euen names) in number, weight and mea­sure, in his sacred Word, where euery one may and ought to reade, his pleasure will haue vs to conceiue himselfe some­times when Feare is mentioned, and o­ther somtimes when Loue is repeated. Iacob cals him the Feare of his father Isack, and Iohn which lay on Christs bo­some, that beloued Disciple, cals him Loue. 1 Iohn 4. Can a Christian heare himselfe called in the Scriptures by the name of King, and not conceiue of what repute he is of through Christ in the eies of God? Can any heare the names of Feare and Loue, to be transferred to the Lord himselfe, and not confesse the excellency, [Page 194]the mutuall excellency of either? For he bearing their name, they must needes partake of his nature. Their mutuall dig­nity is as manifest, for these two compre­hend all what man can performe to God, or which God requireth of man. For our Sauiour for the accomplishing of the Commandements, calls for no­thing but Loue, whereupon Paul saith, Loue is the fulfilling of the law; Gal. 6.2. and Salomon, who had too much experience of falling from God, hauing testified his distast of his too much tasted vanities, affirmeth that the end of all which any can perswade, aduise, or presse, is to Feare, and to keepe the Commandements, Eccles. 12. and he giueth the rea­son, for that is the whole duty of man. Sure­ly our blessed Sauiour and his elect ves­sell, extolling Loue, include feare, or they contradict Salomon: and Salomon in his Feare, and keeping the Commandements, im­plied Loue, or hee gainsaied our Sauiour and his Apostle. But they all speaking by the same spirit, affirme the same thing. For nothing but these two (which giue life and lustre vnto euery duty besides, [Page 195]and therefore ioyned sometimes with one, sometimes with another) are aboue other, yet indifferently required; And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to feare and loue him? Deut. 10.12. Whereby we may obserue these to be all are expe­cted by him, accepted of him. Shewing in his expectation, what are to be perfor­med to him by vs as our duties, intima­ting in his acceptation, how greatly he delights in these graces, and in both ma­nifesting what is in his estimation, the dignity of them: either of which indeed were of no worth, if they were not both permanent. But now the Validity of either is such, Cant. 8. that as much water cannot quench loue, nor the flouds drowne it, so many trou­bles cannot ouerturne Feare, Iob 15.15. nor cala­mity conquer it. Cant. 8.7. Loue is not to bee drawne by force, for it is strong as death; Feare not to be vnited by flattery, for it is suspicious of danger. Gen. 20.20. Loue is not to be perswaded from God by any power, ha­uing fully tasted of his fauour: Feare is not to bee enforced from the Lord by any terror, Psal. 34.8. hauing drunke deepely of [Page 196]the cup of his power. Dan. 3.17, 18. Ier. 32.40. That heart where­in the Lord hath put his feare, departs not from him; and that soule which hath yeelded to his loue, will not leaue him. Feare looking on the promises, and the power of him that made them, groweth vp to the perfection of full holinesse, till it be indued with it; 2 Cor. 7.1. and loue wanting full fruition of prepared ioyes, aspireth to perfect happinesse till it be inuested in it. Neither of them ceasing before they be made partakers of their expecta­tions. Thus then they agree in their Commander, Causes, Subiects, Acts, Ef­fects, Opposites, and Conditions, of mu­tuall Excellency, Dignity, and Validity. And therefore aswell the one as other, to bee harboured in euery Christians heart. 1 Iohn 4.18. But perfect loue driueth out feare. It is true, one poison preuaileth against ano­ther; Aug. ser. 13. de Ʋerb. Apost. Ti­mor servus est, Charitas libe­ra est. two contraries cannot subsist toge­ther in one subiect in the same measure of contrariety, and looke how much soeuer is the power of a sonne-like loue, so much lesse is the strength of a slauish feare; where loue hath apprehended the firm­nesse 1 Iohn 4.17. [Page 199]of Gods fauour, there is no doubting of his helpe in the time of danger, no want of boldnesse in the day of iudgement. That loue then which the Lord accep­teth as perfect, casteth out that Feare which he reiecteth as faithlesse. That loue which striueth in expectation of prepa­red pleasures to perfection, banisheth that feare which laboureth in apprehension of allotted iudgements with painfulnesse, as plunged in the gulfe of despaire. To feare him then, not as a Iudge that will condemne, but as a Iudge that will discharge vs, is that feare which loue is so farre from driuing out, that it liketh it, liking it loueth it, louing it cannot liue without it: Psal. 2.11. Serue the Lord with feare, and reioyce before him with trembling, is the exhortation of Dauid; where loue is not harboured, ioy cannot be expressed; as then there must not be seruing without feare, so neither must there be trembling without loue, for there is no seruice acceptable which wanteth re­uerence, nor reuerence commendable which is rendred without affection: And as one well saith, Hugo de S.V. de instit. nouit. c. 5. Reuerentia sine amore ma­gis [Page 198]seruilis, & amor sine reuerentia puerilis iu­dicari debet. Reuerence without loue is too slauish, and loue without reuerence is too childish: if there be loue and not feare, it answereth not the Lords worth; if there be feare and not loue, it argueth the great­nesse of our vnwillingnesse: Psal. 5.7. and there­fore what the Prophet Dauid had exhor­ted others, hee resolueth and promiseth that he himselfe will practise, I will come (saith he) into thine house, O Lord, in the mul­titude of thy mercy, and in thy feare will I wor­ship toward thy holy Temple. Mercy moueth him out of loue to come, and feare ma­keth him in reuerence to continue; loue draweth him to the duty, and feare dire­cteth him in his deuotion. Such is the efficacy and dignity, end and vse of them where they are vnited, that this lo­uing feare and fearing loue is the way by which God walketh vnto man, and the Ladder by which man climeth vnto God. They humble God, but exalt man, bring God downe below, and lift man on high, Joh. 14.23. for that heart where loue is har­boured will hee inhabit, and that spirit [Page 199]which in feare of his displeasure is bruised will he visit. Esa. 57.15. For by them are the fetters of sin loosed from our feet, the manicles of iniquity taken from our hands, the caule of hardnesse remoued from our hearts, and the some of calumnious blas­phemy & blasphemous calumny wiped from our mouthes, for Loue softneth as the Goats bloud the adamantine, Feare breaketh as the hammer the stony, heart; Loue looseth the spirits as the hot Sunne the frozen Fountaine, and sen­deth out flouds of teares; Feare maketh man, as the fire the hardest mettals, plia­ble to euery truth; Loue and Feare vnited in one soule, dissolue there the cursed workes of the Deuill, and kindle the fire of true deuotion, and therefore not to be seuered, because the Lord is both iust and mercifull, mercifull and iust. Fulg. l. 1. de rem. pecc. ad Fabiol. mans. 23. Let all men therefore entertaine these deere and inse­parable associates. Let the wicked learne to feare and loue the Lord for his iustice and mercy, that being conuerted they may misse of that punishment which his iu­stice hath threatned, and receiue that par­don [Page 200]which his mercy hath promised. Let the good loue and feare him for his mercy, and iustice, that being preuented by his mercy, through loue of it they may continue in good workes, and in Feare of his iu­stice keepe themselues carefully from sin­full waies. Let the wicked thinke of his mercy, lest too much swallowing of his iustice they forget his fauour and be de­noured by sinne through desperation. Let the good feare his iustce, lest too much swilling his mercy they neglect his an­ger, and bee seduced by Satan to pre­sumption. Let all men both loue and feare him, feare and loue him, that his Angels may pitch their tents round about them, his Spirit in all their waies direct them, himselfe take them, while they remaine here, vnto his protection, and hereafter in his due time translate them to an im­mortall Crowne of glory, which hee giue vnto all vs, and euery one that are his, for his sake who hath so dearely bought vs, Iesus Christ the righteous, Amen, Amen.