3. Some there may be, whom only the very terrors, and sting of slavish fear, and fore-thought of the wrath and torment to come, may drive, and restrain from the execution of grosser villainies, excite and enchaine to the outward exercises of holy duties, and many actual religious conformities. For instance, some may repair to the House of God upon the Lords Day, not for any such great love unto Gods Truth or conscionable Ministry; but for fear, that being then alone, or walking idly abroad, their guilty consciences should work more fearfully and fiercely upon them; and that thoughts of their sins, death, hell, damnation, and other such terrible considerations would come into their minds, with affrighting grisly forms, and apparitions of horror. Some, it may be, for fear they should be justly censured, and marked out by men acquainted and experienced in the mystery of grace, and ways of God, with the odious deserved brand of Prayerless, and Atheistical *wretches; or lest they should be seized upon with some remarkable judgement, in their own persons, families, or goods, by fire, robbery, tempest, ill success, death, horror, despair, or other fearful accident, dare not for their lives, but continue a course and formal task of Prayer Evening and Morning in their houses. Some also, in times of trouble and terror especially, as of extraordinary thunders, impetuous tempests, dreadful apparitions in the air, &c. fly into the company and communion of Christians, driven thither by the fearfulness of their spirits, and hope to receive protection of their guiltiness, and preservation from ⟨p. 46⟩wrath, by the prayers, presence, and acceptation of such holy Ones. We see in mens carriages to humane laws, that even fear of them restrains many from many lawless outrages, and constrains to many civill conformities, against which their sensual hearts and humours do infinitely rise and reclaim, with much distaste and aversion. Do you not think, that many drunkards would as well live in murder, and upon the spoil, as in their present abominable swinishness; did they not hold it a more horrible thing to be hanged, than to pay five shillings, or sit in the stocks? Would not many at Sermon time, rather be in the Ale-house, than in the House of God, were not the constitutions of men a curb unto their corruptions?
3. Some there may be, whom onely the very terrours, and sting of slauish feare, and fore-thought of the wrath and torment to come, may driue, and restraine from the execution of grosser villanies, excite and enchaine to the outward exercises of holy duties, and many actual religious conformities. For instance, some may repaire to the House of God vpon the Lords Day, not for any such great loue vnto Gods Truth or conscionable Ministerie; but for feare, that being then alone, or walking idlely abroad, their guilty consciences should worke more fearefully and fiercely vpon them; and that thoughts of their sinnes, death, hell, damnation, and other such terrible considerations would come into their mindes, with affrighting griesly formes, and apparitions of horrour. Some, it may be, for feare they should bee iustly censured, and marked out by men acquainted and experienced in the mysterie of grace, and wayes of God, with the odious deserued brand of Prayerlesse, and Atheisticall *wretches; or lest they should bee seized vpon with some remarkeable iudgement, in their owne persons, families, or goods, by fire, robbery, tempest, ill successe, death, horrour, despaire, or other fearefull accident, dare not for their liues, but continue a course and formall taske of Prayer Euening and Morning in their houses. Some also, in times of trouble and terrour especially, as of extraordinarie thunders, impetuous tempests, dreadfull apparitions in the ayre, &c. flie into the company and communion of Christians, driuen thither by the fearefulnesse of their spirits, and hope to receiue protection of their guiltinesse, and preseruation from ⟨p. 46⟩wrath, by the prayers, presence, and acceptation of such holy Ones. Wee see in mens carriages to humane lawes, that euen feare of them restraines many from many lawlesse outrages, and constraines to many ciuill conformities, against which their sensuall hearts and humours doe infinitely rise and reclaime, with much distaste and auersion. Doe you not thinke, that many drunkards would as well liue in murther, and vpon the spoile, as in their present abominable swinishnesse; did they not hold it a more horrible thing to be hanged, than to pay fiue shillings, or sit in the stocks? Would not many at Sermon time, rather be in the Ale-house, than in the House of God, were not the constitutions of men a curbe vnto their corruptions?
- *Psal. 14. 4.
