A26796:709
The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…
The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ, or, Discourses wherein is showed how the wisdom, mercy, justice, holiness, power, and truth of God are glorified in that great and blessed work / by William Bates.The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ, or, Discourses wherein is shewed how the wisdom, mercy, justice, holiness, power, and truth of God are glorified in that great and blessed work / by William Bates.
London: printed by J. Darby for Nathaniel Ranew and Jonathan Robinson and Brabazon Aylmer, 1674
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Or, if the fear of Men who can inflict but outward evils, and Death on the Body, at any time resists the performance of our Duty, what is more proper to lessen the impression, than to remember how dreadful a thing it is to fall into the revenging hands of the living God, who lives for ever, and can punish for ever? Thus our Saviour fortified his Disciples against Persecution, I say unto you, my Friends, 1Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more they can do; but I will forwarn you whom you shall fear: fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into ⟨p. 382⟩Hell; yea I say unto you, fear him. Eternal Damnation is infinitely more fearful than Temporal Death. As the Rod of Moses devoured the Rods of the Magicians. So the fear of Hell overcomes the fear of Death, and all the Torments which end with this Life.
I shall add further, to show how fit an Argument this is to work on mankind; That usually the Fear of evil more deeply affects than the Hope of good. When the Imagination is violently struck with an object, it hath a mighty force to turn the Mind and Will it self. Therefore Laws are secured by Punishments, not by Rewards. Indeed the fear of Hell at first disposes us for the love of Heaven: to escape the one we fly to the other. As the virtue of the Lodestone is increased by arming it with Iron, which although it hath no attractive power in it self; yet by conjunction, it makes the others more forcible: So the promise of Heaven makes a stronger impression upon us by the threatening of Hell to all that despise it. Were it not for the Torments of Hell (which are more easily conceived by us whilst we are clothed with flesh, than Celestial Joys, and therefore more strongly affect us) Heaven would be neglected, and be as empty of Saints as 'tis full of Glory. To awaken us out of the deep Lethargy of sensual Lusts, the most pleasant Music is ineffectual, nothing less is requisite than cutting and scarifying.