Prototypes, or, The primary precedent presidents out of the book of Genesis showing, the…Prototypes, or, The primarie precedent presidents out of the booke of Genesis shewing, the…

Now look to your selves my Brethren, do you fear Gods threats, do you fear the curse of the Law, the wrath of God, hell fire, damnation, with such a fear as makes you use the means to escape these evils, and makes that you cannot be bold to do the things against which the Lord speaketh these things. If you brag of faith in Gods promises and have not faith in his threats, your faith is a vain fancy, and a mere painted or dead faith, for no man can credit any thing which God speaketh if he do not credit all so far as he knows and considers it, because God cannot be deceived in any thing. And if you say you believe Gods threats and do not fear, I say again, be not moved through fear to do the things by which you might escape those evils threatened, even to forsake the sin and repent, certainly you deceive your selves and do not believe. Now it is most evident, that most men entertain Gods threats without any fear. They are not affected at all with the hear-say of these evils, therefore it is sure they have no faith. See your want of faith by the absence of this never failing effect thereof, and cousin your selves with a shadow of faith no longer. And now pray God to plant in your hearts such a fear of his threats as hath been said. It is a most wholesome thing to have the soul overawed with apprehension of the evils which God denounceth against evil-doing, and to be thereby kept down, so that it hath no courage to lift it self up to naughty deeds. Blessed is he that thus feareth always, O that you would work out your salvation in this fear and trembling, O that the same mind might be in you that was in godly Job! who said that terror from God did keep him from doing any wrong to his servant, and that of the holy Apostle S. Paul, ¹who said that knowing this terror, he did persuade men and was made manifest to God.

Now looke to your selves my Brethren, doe you feare Gods threats, doe you feare the curse of the Law, the wrath of God, hell fire, damnation, with such a feare as makes you use the meanes to escape these evills, and makes that you cannot be bold to doe the things against which the Lord speaketh these things. If you brag of faith in Gods promises and have not faith in his threats, your faith is a vaine fancie, and a meere painted or dead faith, for no man can credit any thing which God speaketh if he doe not credit all so farre as he knowes and considers it, because God cannot be deceived in any thing. And if you say you beleeve Gods threats and doe not feare, I say againe, be not moved through feare to doe the things by which you might escape those evills threatned, even to forsake the sinne and repent, certainely you deceive your selves and doe not beleeve. Now it is most evident, that most men entertaine Gods threats without any feare. They are not affected at all with the heare-say of these evills, therefore it is sure they have no faith. See your want of faith by the absence of this never failing effect thereof, and cousen your selves with a shadow of faith no longer. And now pray God to plant in your hearts such a feare of his threats as hath beene said. It is a most wholesome thing to have the soule overawed with apprehension of the evills which God denounceth against evill-doing, and to be thereby kept downe, so that it hath no courage to lift it selfe up to naughty deeds. Blessed is he that thus feareth alwaies, O that you would worke out your salvation in this feare and trembling, O that the same minde might be in you that was in godly Iob! who said that terrour from God did keepe him from doing any wrong to his servant, and that of the holy Apostle S. Paul,