The divine life in three treatises

5. Our walking with God doth imply that as we are ruled by his Will, so we fear no punishment like his threatened displeasure: and that the threats of death from mortal men, will not prevail with us so much as his threats of Hell, Luk. 12. 4. If God say, I will condemn thee to everlasting punishment if thou wilt not keep my Laws] And if men say, We will condemn thee to imprisonment or death if thou keep them] the believer more feareth God than man: The Law of the King doth condemn Daniel to the Lyons den, if he forbear not to pray for a certain time. But he more feareth God that will deny those that deny him, and forsake those that forsake him: Therefore the forementioned witnesses ventured on the fiery furnace, because God threatened a more dreadful fire. Therefore a true believer dare not live, when an unbeliever dare not die: He dare not save his life from God lest he lose it; but loseth it that he may save it. But unbelievers that walk not with God, but after the flesh, do most fear them that they observe most powerful in the world, and will more be moved with the penalty of some worldly loss or suffering, then with Gods most dreadful threats of Hell: For that which they see not, is to them as nothing, while they want that faith by which it is foreknown, and must be escaped.

5. Our walking with God doth imply that as we are ruled by his Will, so we fear no punishment like his threatned displeasure: and that the threats of death from mortal men, will not prevail with us so much as his threats of Hell, Luk. 12. 4. If God say, I will condemn thee to everlasting punishment if thou wilt not keep my Laws] And if men say, We will condemn thee to imprisonment or death if thou keep them] the believer more feareth God than man: The Law of the King doth condemn Daniel to the Lyons den, if he forbear not to pray for a certain time. But he more feareth God that will deny those that deny him, and forsake those that forsake him: Therefore the forementioned witnesses ventured on the fiery furnace, because God threatned a more dreadful fire. Therefore a true believer dare not live, when an unbeliever dare not die: He dare not save his life from God lest he lose it; but loseth it that he may save it. But unbelievers that walk not with God, but after the flesh, do most fear them that they observe most powerful in the world, and will more be moved with the penalty of some worldly loss or suffering, then with Gods most dreadful threats of Hell: For that which they see not, is to them as nothing, while they want that faith by which it is foreknown, and must be escaped.