A commentary upon the whole book of Judges Preached first and delivered in sundry…A commentary vpon the vvhole booke of Iudges Preached first and deliuered in sundrie…

This teacheth what high reverence we ought to have God in, as oft as ¹we come into his presence, where he hath promised more especially to appear and be present, namely, in the assemblies of his people; and to be no otherwise affected, when we think of him, and pray unto him (but yet without terror) and by consequence every where, because we have learned, that he is every where. And the rather we should follow the examples of the servants of God in this their reverence before God, (and yet learning to resist immoderate fear) because of the contrary lightness and boldness of many in this point, do not think of God in any sort, as his Highness and Majesty doth require. And yet I speak this even of such as are not of the worst sort. But as for the profaneness and brutishness of some, who are in a contrary extremity to Gideon, and to all that walk in reverence before God, it proceedeth from a far worse cause then the most imagine, to wit, mere gross ignorance, or infidelity: as appeareth by their behaviour both in public place, where God is more specially present, and in private, whither they resort for their pleasure and business. In the one, they pass the time in sleeping, prating, laughing, gazing about, wandering of mind, and the like unreverence: in the other in drunkenness, wantonness, gaming, rotten and cursed speech and behaviour. So that the cause of this extremity in these, and or their so great unreverence, is no other then I have said, the least of both which, ignorance I mean, provoketh them not (we see) to devotion (though Popery shamelessly calls it the Mother thereof) but to devilishness, and at length, to desperation. For as here the contrary excess in Gideon arose from the beholding of God amiss, and the too much observing of his glory without his goodness: so the not reverencing of God at all, either in his word or works, is the fruit of mere blindness and darkness and unbelief. But to return, as the servants of God, ought to carry themselves in all high reverence, in all places, and specially in his worship by Prayer, the Word and Sacraments;

This teacheth what high reuerence we ought to haue God in, as oft as ¹we come into his presence, where he hath promised more especially to appeare and be present, namely, in the assemblies of his people; and to bee no otherwise affected, when wee thinke of him, and pray vnto him (but yet without terror) and by consequence euery where, because we haue learned, that he is euery where. And the rather wee should follow the examples of the seruants of God in this their reuerence before God, (and yet learning to resist immoderate feare) because of the contrary lightnesse and boldnesse of many in this point, doe not thinke of God in any sort, as his Highnesse and Maiestie doth require. And yet I speake this euen of such as are not of the worst sort. But as for the prophanenesse and brutishnesse of some, who are in a contrary extremity to Gedeon, and to all that walke in reuerence before God, it proceedeth from a farre worse cause then the most imagine, to wit, meere grosse ignorance, or infidelity: as appeareth by their behauiour both in publike place, where God is more specially present, and in priuat, whither they resort for their pleasure and businesse. In the one, they passe the time in sleeping, prating, laughing, gazing about, wandring of mind, and the like vnreuerence: in the other in drunkennesse, wantonnesse, gaming, rotten and cursed speech and behauiour. So that the cause of this extreamitie in these, and or their so great vnreuerence, is no other then I haue said, the least of both which, ignorance I meane, prouoketh them not (we see) to deuotion (though Poperie shamelessely calles it the Mother thereof) but to diuelishnesse, and at length, to desparation. For as here the contrary excesse in Gedeon arose from the beholding of God amisse, and the too much obseruing of his glory without his goodnesse: so the not reuerencing of God at all, either in his word or works, is the fruite of meere blindnesse and darkenesse and vnbeliefe. But to returne, as the seruants of God, ought to carrie themselues in all high reuerence, in all places, and specially in his worship by Prayer, the Word and Sacraments;