8 If Gods children are ready to slip in a moment; how much more dangerous is the1 estate of the wicked, who are willing to fall continually? It is wonderful to see a poor sinner ready to swoon and fall dead almost at every sin, which a man would think to be nothing to fear him, or drive him to this fear; and yet when adversities, strange judgements, persecutions, and death do come, to be exceeding patient, comfortable, courageous, and valiant. And again, it is strange to see others, who marvel that men will suffer themselves to be feared with sins, and ask what mean men to stand trembling at the word of God: yet let sickness come, or if the hand of God be upon them, or let death2 come towards them, they quake at the name of sickness, death, or hell; and either they prove very senseless and blockish, or else they be in a most desperate estate: yea, if God begin to reckon with them, every countenance of a godly man, every chirping of a bird, and drawing near of the least and weakest creature towards them, every shaking of a leaf, moving of a shadow, every noise of the air appaleth their courage, and maketh them most fearful cowards. They fear most when Gods judgements are executed, which fear least when they are threatened: And they fear least when Gods judgements are accomplished, which tremble most when wrath is denounced. Wherefore if we long for courage, and loth cowardice, against the evil day, let us labour for a good conscience, which breedeth3 true boldness, and fly from sin, which bringeth a spirit of fear upon us, as daily experience may teach us. It is better to fear the evil to come, when only fear, and not evil is upon us, than to fear then, when besides the fear, the affliction it self is come, which so sorely besetteth us, that we have no liberty or leave to breathe for any comfort, or to hope for any deliverance.
8 If Gods children are readie to slip in a moment; how much more dangerous is the1 estate of the wicked, who are willing to fall continuallie? It is wonderfull to see a poore sinner ready to swound and fall dead almost at euery sinne, which a man would thinke to be nothing to feare him, or driue him to this feare; and yet when aduersities, straunge iudgements, persecutions, and death doe come, to bee exceeding patient, comfortable, couragious, and valiant. And againe, it is strange to see others, who maruell that men will suffer themselues to be feared with sinnes, and aske what meane men to stand trembling at the word of God: yet let sicknes come, or if the hand of God be vpon them, or let death2 come towards them, they quake at the name of sicknes, death, or hell; and either they proue very senslesse and blockish, or else they be in a most desperate estate: yea, if God begin to recken with them, euery countenance of a godly man, euery chirping of a bird, and drawing neere of the least and weakest creature towards them, euery shaking of a leafe, mouing of a shadow, euery noyse of the aire appaleth their courage, and maketh them most fearfull cowards. They feare most when Gods iudgements are executed, which feare least when they are threatned: And they feare least when Gods iudgements are accomplished, which tremble most when wrath is denounced. Wherefore if wee long for courage, and lothe cowardise, against the euill day, let vs labour for a good conscience, which breedeth3 true boldnes, and flie from sinne, which bringeth a spirite of feare vpon vs, as daily experience may teach vs. It is better to feare the euill to come, when only feare, and not euill is vpon vs, than to feare then, when besides the feare, the affliction it selfe is come, which so sorely besetteth vs, that wee haue no libertie or leaue to breathe for any comfort, or to hope for any deliuerance.
- 1How the godly fear sin more thē external crossesHow the godly feare sinne more thē externall crosses
- 2How the godly & godless differ in their joys and fears.How the godly & godlesse differ in their ioyes and feares.
- 3Note.
