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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 beâ—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 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 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
corporall worke foules and bodies no more willing to yeeld him the least holy affections than dead men are able to perfect the most 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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 For thence is it that he flattereth himselfe in his owne eies vntill his iniquity be found to be hatefull Thence is it that 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 by their outward failings in the generall course of their life They did not seeke after God they are all gone out of the way in the particular members of their bodies their throats are an open sepulcher their tongues deceitfull poysonous and bitter and their feet are swift to shed bloud 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 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 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
misery which will moue them in affection to flye vnto him yet the same Prophet in the same Psalme testifieth to the Lord himselfe that his flesh trembled for feare of him and he was afraid of his iudgements and by his actions as well as words declared that hee conceiued Gods iustice to be a iust cause why euery man should feare him for though before in all ioy and with such solemnity as testified the delight of his heart he was bringing into his owne City the Arke 2 Sam. 6.9 yet as soone as Vzzah was strucke dead he durst not aduenture to bring it any further but desisted though it were the testimony of the Lords presence thus both iustice and mercy are the causes either of them of both loue and feare and as the Lord doth adorne the heart with his feare so hee doth enrich the soule with his loue as the Word by his promises drawes our affections to him so the same Word by his threatnings causeth vs to stand in awe of him we may see them both then growing vpon the same ground and vnited in their causes No lesse in their companions For as seruing of the Lord is required where the fearing of him is enioyned Deut. 10.12 so the louing of him is prescribed where his seruice is commanded Feare must haue with it walking in his waies and walking in his waies may not bee without loue as there is required the keeping of the Commandements by them that loue him so there is a delighting in his Commandements by them that feare him Where as true society and sociable vnity for the greater increase of mutuall comfort will seeke to settle and solace themselues in the same and that a selected place so these graces will be lodged in the same and that a peculiar Cabinet For both these pearles are not found together in euery Fountaine both these Gems are not digged together out of euery ground both these flowers are not growing together in euery Garden for in the hearts onely of Gods children are they both harboured in the soules onely of Gods Saints are they both nourished in the affections onely of the Lords elect are they both planted Caine Esau and Iudas had a kind of feare but false for they wanted loue the Pharisies and Simon Magus had a kind of loue but counterfeit for they wanted feare if the former had had loue they had desired and desiring expected Gods grace if the other had had feare they would haue neglected their owne respect and haue sought for and aimed at Gods glory they all wanted both true feare and loue for of the one sort the hearts were enuious and they despaired which loue entertaines not of the other the Spirits were vaine-glorious and they presumed which feare admits not Neither let it seeme strange that feare and loue whose very names imply a great diuersity in their natures should with an vnanime consent lodge in the same breast seeing the bitter Rue and the sweet Fig-tree draw moisture in the same ground the solitary Turtle and the sociable Doue must bee offered in the same sacrifice Feare that seemeth to bee bitter in the obiects threatnings and iudgements and solitary in the operation trembling and being ashamed to appeare in presence and Loue which is sweet in its proper obiects promises and goodnesse and pleasing in the effects hope and boldnesse to approach the Throne of grace flowing from one heart as the Lords Altar are as incense in his acceptation For they act one and the selfe same thing though diuers waies in the soule of man For let it be granted which cannot be denied that Loue vniteth Dauid will affirme that Feare knitteth the heart vnto the Lord. Let it bee auerred Psa 86.11 that Loue willingly heareth Zephany dare assure any who shall make scruple of it that Feare is not altogether slacke to receiue Zeph. 3.7 instruction Will Loue prie into the secrets of the party loued to be partaker of them Feare is as obseruant of and as loth to want those mysteries which the party feared hath reserued for it Loue woundeth the soule when it sees Gods fauour and Feare woundeth the spirit in beholding his displeasure Loue inflameth the desire to doe what it knowes is acceptable and Feare sets on fire the affections to consume what it conceiues to be abhominable Loue humbleth a man seeing the greatnesse of the beloueds mercy and Feare casteth downe the pride of minde in viewing the glory of the feareds Maiestie together with the number of its owne offences Loue as the fiery piller guides in the night of aduersity Feare as the Cloud giues directions to our paths in the day of prosperity Loue mitigateth the sorrow which feare had caused and Feare qualifieth that ioy which Loue produced Feare as Rew tempereth Loues Figge-like sweetnesse lest it should passe the golden Meane and become vnpleasing and Loue as the Figge-tree moderateth Feares Rew-like bitternesse that it exceed not its equall measure and be made vnprofitable As for their effects Exod. 20. is Gods mercy shewed to thousands of them that loue him it is no lesse from generation to generation on them Luke 1.50 that feare him Deut. 30.16 Is Feare made partaker of his blessings Loue communicateth of his bounty Is Life the promised recompence of Loue Death shall not bee the allotted reward of feare Doth Loue indue the heart with abundance of celestiall grace Esay 33.6 Feare is a treasure to enrich the whole man with all good Doth Feare make man acceptable vnto God Acts 10.30 Loue makes him at least as gratious with him Doth Loue prouide for posterity Feare leaues not the succession in calamity if any either temporall spirituall or eternall good attend vpon the one it likewise becomes a follower of the other so like they are in their effects There is as mutuall a conspiring betweene them in their generall and particular opposites For as displeasing of the Lord is auoided by Loue so offending of him is abhorred by Feare Will not Loue cleaue to Heathenish either workes or worship Jos 23.11 12.16 2 Kin. 17.35 36 Feare will fly from heathenish both confederacy and Idolatrie Feare hateth presumption as the Serpent the Ashe tree and Loue shunneth rashnesse as the Scorpion Aconitum Iosiah durst not disobey when hee heard what was threatned nor Dauid presume when hee saw what was inflicted 1 Chron. 13.12 for they were withheld by Feare The Disciples would not molest their Master Matt. 8.24 25. till there was no hope of safety because they were bridled by Loue as the Church would not suffer any to awaken her Spouse in signe of her affection Cant. 3.5 Feare participating of the nature of the Lion which is terrible loatheth a putrified denne and loue which communicateth in property with the Doue which is louing shunneth a foule cottage such is their sympathie in respect of their opposites Now for their conditions Wee cannot but
ΠΟΛΕΩΣ-ÎΑΩ-ΔΑΦÎΗ Londons Laurell OR A BRANCH OF THE GRAFT OF GRATITVDE First budded in the TEMPLE and now begun to blossome VPON DAVIDS THANKFVLNES TO THE LORD FOR a Cities kindnesse By EDW. DALTON one of the Lecturers in the Cathedrall Church of S. PAVLS London D. Chrysost super Matth. homil 25. Optima beneficiorum custos est ipsa memoria beneficiorum perpetua confessio gratiarum Senec. lib. de benef Gratum hominem semper beneficium delectat ingratum semel LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND M.DC.XXIII TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR PETER PROBY KNIGHT Lord MAIOR the Right Worshipfull and Worshipfull the Sheriffes Aldermen Companies and Citizens of the Honourable Citie of London Grace and Glorie Right Honourable right Worshipfull and Worshipfull AS the case stands with a man and the parts of his body so it may fall out with a Citie and the members of it one part is the principall in the Act and another in that renowne which redoundeth from that Act yet the man himselfe as is due beareth away the glory of the deserued praise The hand by the Mercurialists Penne or Martiall Pike sets a wreath as the embleme of worthinesse vpon the head only yet blazeth the Fame of the whole man A worthy Gouernour among you my much respected friend whose name when euery BRANCH shall beare a particular name another BRANCH if God permit shall mention as it is not vnknowne not onely himselfe shewed me a fauour but tooke order with his successor in his place that that storme which did threaten my ruine should not with that violence which was intended fall vpon me if a chearing calme should not come betweene which by Gods prouidence and his meanes came to passe Sensible yet of that fauor and other curtesies which I haue receiued from and perceiued in diuers of you in the good intentions of some endeuours of other wel-wishing of many I haue aduentured to present to your eies part of that which sometime sounded in some of your eares as they especially can witnesse who were the Lords instruments to manifest his care in preuenting the violent course of some who would haue wrongfully enthralled my freedome and damned vp the streames of my iust and legall proceedings yet so as my thankfulnesse is made knowne vnder the name of your honourable citie my Text casting a fauourable countenance that way and referreth its entertainement to your kindnesses Now goe on right worthy as the Lord shall minister occasion and your seuerall places call for in Christian and charitable actions for such haue carried your cities and predecessors fame beyond the Ocean and assuredly God himselfe will not forget though those who haue felt the benefit should be which God forbid vnmindfull of your works of either pietie or pittie for my selfe my tongue and penne shall not cease to afford you moe dishes of fruit as Testimonies of my gratefull heart if the Lord be pleased to prosper my endeuours about the roote of this GRAFT In the meane season I shall not cease by my prayers to labour to draw from the fountaine of all goodnesse all needfull blessings for your whole city and all in it from the highest Cedar to the lowest Shrub and euer rest Yours and the Churches denoted Seruant EDVV. DALTON To the Right Honourable SIR IVLIVS CAESAR Knight Master of the Rolles and Sir EDWARD COKE Knight both of his Maiesties most honourable Priuie Councell Sir HENRY HOBART Knight and Baronet Lord chiefe Iustice of his Maiesties right honourable Court of Common Pleas and Sir LAVRENCE TANFEILD Knight Lord chiefe Baron of his Maiesties right honourable Court of Exchequer and the right worshipfull his Maiesties Iustices and Barons of the same COVRTS AS ALSO To the honourable Societies the right worshipfull and worshipfull the Master Benchers Counsellors Barristers Gentlemen Students and members of either Temple Mercy truth righteousnesse and peace Right Honourable Honourable and truly Worthy YOu who haue in an aspectuall either Trine or Sextile radiation vouchsafed Your auspicious influences and some directly other collaterally all of you fauourably beheld me mitigated with your gentler aspects the malice of my opposite Planets in this inferiour Orbe hindered by Your beneuolent powers the maleuolent motions of some irregular Starres in our earthly Globe and in processe of time the reuolution of heauen so bringing it about as your seuerall places and my seuerall proceedings required met almost in the same degree though carried in your distant Spheres to the clayming through your concurrences of the denomination of a Coniunction for my good may as iustly as ioyntly as ioyntly as iustly both iustly and ioyntly challenge the publication of those effects which your worths out of good will produced and my weakenesse in way of gratefulnesse was is or shall be enabled to make knowne To you therefore doe I dedicate this first BRANCH OF my GRAFT OF GRATITVDE which hitherto hath not appeared lacking the life-giuing Rayes of one or other Luminary yet now at last through a happier constellation buds and begins to blossome in open view vnder your Patronages whose beames of kinde acceptance if I shall perceiue Sunne-like to reflexe vpon it I shall be animated to gather together those Siens which lie dispersed in my nurserie to adapt and in seasonable time to inoculate them into one Stocke to digge about the root of this GRAFT and so to prune euery BRANCH of it that it may answer the aime of my now attempt in yeelding some fruit wherewith the Lords name the Author of all grace may be magnified Your names who are and haue beene the instruments of much good as with LAWRELL were honoured the heads of the well-deseruing with condigne fame according to your deserts for patterne sake an end of my present endeuours diuulged mine owne thankefulnesse who haue bin in some sort the passiue subiect of aduerse might obiect of affected malice to God and man the instant wishing of my soule expressed the meanest of the Tribe of Leui in their places rights persons disesteemed wronged contemned so much as either Hypocrisie irreligion error or superstition can preuaile notwithstanding all iniurious disgraces and disgracefull iniuries in our heauen-respected calling as my heart hopeth incouraged and all men lesse or more which the Lord now and alway vouchsafe some way bettered Till when and euer that your LOVE and FEARE may so be fixed vpon the Lords MERCIE and JVSTICE the onely blossomes which as yet this BRANCH doth beare and all your affections so ordered and so disposed by God himselfe to goodnesse that you neuer either want the sensible feeling of sauing Grace or goe without the full fruition of eternall Glory hee praieth who is till death Yours and the Churches deuoted Seruant Edw. Dalton The Text analysed Analogically three parts according to the courts of Salomons Temple 1 Pet. 1.12 1. For all Hee 2. For the Priests Shewed 3. For the High Priest where were the Heb. 9.3 4. 1. Arke or mercy-seat 1. Kindnesse 2.
Two Cherubims prying into that Arke 2. Time when and person to whom moue admiration 3. Two Tables by which and to which all duties to God and man are directed both ayming at Gods glory 3. His. In himselfe abiding yet to man extended and in both respects reflexing vpon his owne praise 4. Manner not ordinary but beyond expectation and common euent Maruellous 4. Aarons rod by which miracles were wrought 5. Place where this Kindnesse was reserued in a strong Citie 5. Pot of Manna 6. The Heart from which thanksgiuing a sacrifice so acceptable to God issued Blessed be the Lord. 6. Censor from which the smell of incense so sweetly ascended Logically the 1. Agent He 2 Act shewed 3. Obiect Kindnesse its Opportunity in the Time when Hath Trāscendency in the person to whom Mee Propriety in the person by whom His. Rarity in the Manner how Maruellous Particularity in the Place where In a strong citie Errata PAg. 4. in marg read 2 Sam. ch 17 18 19. 1 Sam. 30. 1 Sam. 23. pag. 19. in marg adde Amos 6.6 p. 35. l. 12. for but r. to be p. 44. l. 10. after loue r. looking on the Compasse of his mercy p. 46. l. 11. before For r. Freely p. 54. in M. for Vers r. Cha. p. 55. l. 2. r. as God p. ib. l. 3. r. as our God p. 68. l. 20. r. former in that p. 69. l. 6. r. speciall l. 10. for word r. house p. 79. l. 9. r. teares p. 84. l. 15. r. publishing p. 85. l. penult r. did in PSALME 31.21 Blessed be the Lord for he hath shewed mee his maruellous kindnesse in a strong Citie 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Dâ—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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
which not to iudge most 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 couetous if fame the hope of the vaine-glorious 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 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 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
those that 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
we holily 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 male-children 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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. 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