Here is then a touch stone for them that can say: I trust I fear God, if I feared not God, how should I hope to prosper, or how should I live? for if their fear be tried by the word, and their fear of the word be tried by particular sins, they will soon bewray themselves.1 Again, many there be, who will say they fear God, whilst sickness, poverty, or some cross lieth upon them: but when affliction is past over, and prosperity cometh, let the Lord strike upon their hearts never so hardly, and they will not fear. Wherefore the Prophet Isaiah saith, chap. 28. 15. Because ye have said, we have made a covenant with death, and with hell we are at agreement, though a scourge run over us, and pass through, it shall not come at us. And 18. The covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand, when a scourge shall run over you, and pass through, then shall you be trodden under by it. And though sometimes we fear with Pharaoh the present tokens of Gods wrath, as the thunder, the lightning, the earthquake, and such like: yet we make them scarcely as the wonders that last nine da•es, neither fear we the word of God. In stead of all the plagues whereof we read in the old Testament, as of the opening of the earth, of the overflowing with waters, of fire coming down from heaven, we hear but one named in the new Testament, namely, that they that do such things, for which those plagues did come, shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven; which one doth so terrify Gods children, that they had leaver bear all the afflictions of Job, and all the plagues of Egypt than that one; for all those are but forerunners of this one judgement, and this is the full heap of all other threatenings. In that he saith, my heart standeth in awe: he showeth his fear was not covertly as in the ungodly. For at one time or other the Lord may shake the vilest villain in the world with fear of his judgements, and sometimes to feel terror: but this kind of fear soon vanisheth away, and sinketh not into the heart, how much soever it be stricken into the ⟨p. 581⟩head. For we see whilst God lieth •ore upon us by some terrible judgement of thunder, lightnings, or earthquakes, how every profane man can be content to pray, and for the time will be very godly and religious, so long as the plague lasteth;
Here is then a touch stone for them that can say: I trust I feare God, if I feared not God, how should I hope to prosper, or how should I liue? for if their feare be tried by the word, and their feare of the word be tried by particular sins, they will soone bewray themselues.1 Againe, many there be, who will say they feare God, whilest sicknesse, pouertie, or some crosse lieth vpon them: but when affliction is past ouer, and prosperitie commeth, let the Lord strike vpon their hearts neuer so hardly, and they will not feare. Wherefore the Prophet Esay saith, chap. 28. 15. Because ye haue said, we haue made a couenant with death, and with hell we are at agreement, though a scourge runne ouer vs, and passe thorow, it shall not come at vs. And 18. The couenant with death shall be disanulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand, when a scourge shall runne ouer you, and passe thorow, then shall you be troden vnder by it. And though sometimes we feare with Pharaoh the present tokens of Gods wrath, as the thunder, the lightning, the earthquake, and such like: yet we make them scarsely as the wonders that last nine da•es, neither feare we the word of God. In stead of all the plagues whereof we reade in the old Testament, as of the opening of the earth, of the ouerflowing with waters, of fire comming down from heauen, we heare but one named in the new Testament, namely, that they that doe such things, for which those plagues did come, shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen; which one doth so terrifie Gods children, that they had leauer beare all the afflictions of Iob, and all the plagues of Egypt than that one; for all those are but forerunners of this one iudgement, and this is the full heape of all other threatnings. In that he saith, my heart standeth in awe: he sheweth his feare was not couertly as in the vngodly. For at one time or other the Lord may shake the vilest villaine in the world with feare of his iudgements, and sometimes to feele terrour: but this kinde of feare soone vanisheth away, and sinketh not into the heart, how much soeuer it be striken into the ⟨p. 581⟩head. For we see whilest God lyeth •ore vpon vs by some terrible iudgement of thunder, lightnings, or earthquakes, how euery prophane man can be content to pray, and for the time will be very godly and religious, so long as the plague lasteth;
- 1Trial of our fear of God.Triall of our feare of God.
