The Souls Porter to Cast Out Sin, Chapter 1 – Chapter 4
CHAP. I. The Introduction.
IT is the triumph of this Theologicall vertue of the Feare of God, that thoſe who have leaſt affinitie with it, yet applaud it, and profeſſe it: And it is my happineſſe, that nothing can commend a grace, that is not with advantage excentred in this. If I ſhould here declare the nobilitie, excellencie, and tranſcendencie of the feare of God in it ſelfe; and the utilitie, and abſolute indiſpenſable neceſſitie of it in reference to us, I ſhould but fore-ſtall and prevent my ſelfe. It is ſufficient to premiſe, both to excuſe my writing, & to provoke all Chriſtians adviſedly, diligently, and throughly to read this enſuing diſcourſe: that, though many have briefe eſſayes, yet few, or none, have done this Royall grace the honour, or right to allot unto it a compleat full treatiſe. And that that may invite alleyes & minds hither, is this conſideration, that when many other graces are peculiarly pertinent to perſons, as they are members of a family in the threefold combination therin; between husband and wife, parent and childe, maſter and ſervant. Or as they are members of a politicke body, eccleſiaſticall or civill. And when other duties receive ſpecification and reſtriction from circumſtances of time & place, this of the feare of God, like a well limbed picture, caſteth an eye on all that looke on it. It correſponds to all perſons, none excluded. It is ſeaſonable at all times, ſacred and common; eſpecially when the ſcourges of God lye upon neighbouring Nations, and threaten us. And the thoughts hereof may juſtly in all places, preſſe upon us, without being guilty of unmannerly inſtruction.
Now, for the methodicall contriving of this diſcourſe, I ſhall (by divine aſſiſtance) purſue that order that may moſt aptly anſwer the ſubject matter, and may bee moſt facile and appliable to the mindes and memories of the Readers.
CHAP. II. Of the nature and kindes both of feare in generall, and of the feare of God in particular.
THE firſt inquiry will be, What the feare of God is. Where the nature and kindes both of feare in generall, and in particular of the feare of God, will opportunely fall in.
Now to penetrate the depth of this Quaere, we muſt diſtinguiſh of feare.
1. As it is a naturall affection indifferent in it ſelfe; neither morally good, nor evill.
2. As it is a habit or qualitie inherent in the affection.
If we conſider feare as it is a naturall affection implanted in the reaſonable Soule of man, indifferent in it ſelfe, neither morally good nor evill: Then
1. The nature of feare.For the generall nature of it, it
1. Either ſtands aloofe, at ſome diſtance from its object, admiring and reverencing it: Or
2. It is averſe from its object. For affections are of two ſorts, Either ſuch as cleave unto, and deſire a neere union with their object, as faith, love, and hope: or ſuch as turne from, and deſire a perpetual ſeparation from their object, as hatred, and ſome kinde of feare.
2 The ſubject of feare.2. If we looke into the ſubject, wherein this affection of feare is implanted, it will bee found to reſide,
1. In the ſenſitive appetite: for there is a rationall appetite, and that is the will that uſually followes the dictate the guidance of the underſtanding. And there is an inferior ſenſitive appetite, which containes within its verge, the paſſions, perturbations, or affections, which oft runne afore the underſtanding and the will; being more raſh, precipitant, and head-ſtrong; and one of theſe affections is feare.
2. There is a double facultie in the ſenſitive appetite; namely, the concupiſcible facultie which lookes on the object under the notion of good or evill. To which head the affections of love, joy, and griefe are referred.
The other is called the Iraſcible facultie, which lookes on the object under the notion of difficultie; to which head are to bee reduced, hope, which lookes on a good hard to bee obtained; and feare that lookes on ſome evill, hard to bee avoyded. This is the ſubject wherein feare dwels.
3. The object of feare3. For the object of feare, it is
1. Sometimes ſomething good, which we eſteem, & feare to loſe.
2. Sometimes it is ſomething that is great and potent, which we feare to offend.
3. Sometimes it is ſomething full of Majeſtie, excellencie, and glory, which wee feare with a reverential feare, with a feare of obſervance.
4. Sometimes it is ſomething evill: that is, either that which is evill in it ſelfe; in its owne nature, or that which ſeemes to us to be evill; or that which may prove perniicous & prejudiciall unto us.
And the evill which we feare is,
1. Future, to come, wee are troubled for thoſe things that may come to paſſe.Math. 24.6. If an evill be preſent, we feele it, we hate it, we grieve under it: if it bee to come, we feare it.
2. As the obiect of feare is the futurity of evill: ſo alſo the propinquitie and imminencie of it. We feare that evill moſt, that hangs over our heads, ready to ſeize us: that like a maſtive lies at the doore,Gen. 4 7. waiting but the opening thereof, that he might flye in our faces. Therefore to affright men from envie and malice, Saint Iames ſayth, that the Iudge ſtands afore the doores.Iames 5.9.
3. The obiect of feare is as the neareneſſe, ſo the unavoy dableneſſe, the unreſiſtableneſſe of evill; evill, that like the travaile of a woman,2 Theſ. 5.3 cannot be eſcaped.
Wee ſee what the affection of feare is.
Next, we muſt conſider feare as it is a habit, or qualitie inherent in the affection. And ſo feare is either morall or ſpirituall.Morall feate.
Morall feare, is eitherthat vertue that is oppoſite to audaciouſneſſe, where by we feare and ſhun thoſe things that are contradictory to the principles of morall vertue and rectiſied reaſon. Or elſe it is taken for that feare that wee call Puſillanimity, that is contrary to fortitude or magnanimity: when a man is ſo timorous, that as Salomon ſpeakes of the ſluggard, he cries when hee is put upon any action that there is a Lion in the way: When a man feares more the ſhew and ſhadow of evill, than the evill it ſelfe; as children feare more the vizor, than the man: when a man feares that leaſt, that he ſhould feare moſt; and that moſt, that hee ſhould feare leaſt. As our brainleſſe Duellers feare more the loſſe of reputation, when it may be they never had any, than they feare the loſſe of their ſoules. And therefore wiſe-men know ſuch ſingle combatants to bee the groſſeſt cowards, becauſe they in ſuch a degree, feare a croſſe word, or the giving of the lye. And cowards are moſt cruel, for they will bee ſure to kill, if they can, leſt their enemy ſurviving them, ſhould after be revenged upon them. This is morall feare.
Spirituall feare.2. What ſpirituall feare is, wee ſhall perceive by two or three profitable diſtinctions, which doe reflect one upon another; and con tribute mutuall light each to other, and all of them doe illuſtrate the matter in hand.
The firſt diſtinction.The firſt diſtinction is, that ſpirituall feare is five-fold. 1. The feare of a guiltie conſcience. 2. The feare of a ſeave. 3. The feare of a ſervant. 4. The feare of a ſon. 5. The feare of a chaſte and a loving Wife.
There is a ſpirituall feare proceeding from a ſelfe-accuſing conſcience, that is like the feare of a Felon, either ready to be apprehended, or ſtanding at the barre afore his Iudge: when a man onelyonly feares GOD as his Iudge, or as his executioner. And this feare is ioyned with a hatred of God, and with a ſecret wiſh, that there were no God to condemne us. And this feare is lively and graphically expreſt in holy Scripture. It was in Adam after his defection, He hid him for feare among the Trees of the Garden.Gen. 3.8. It was in Cain after hee had made his brother Abel the firſt Martyr, and himſelf the firſt murtherer. It ſhall come to paſſe, Gen. 4.14.ſayth hee, that every man that meets me, ſhall ſtay me. His guilty feare preſented him with troopes of men, when there were none almoſt beſides himſelfe in the world; and with a thouſand deaths, when he could dye but once.Levit. 26.36. Pro. 28.1. The ſound of an Aſpen leafe ſhall chaſe the diſobedient.Geen. 20 4. The wicked flies when no man purſues him. Ier. 20.4.They are a terrour to themſelves, afraid of their owne ſhadowes. This guilty feare the heathen uſed to compare to Siſyphus his reſtleſſe rolling of the ſtone, and to Prometheus his vulture, which without intermiſſion, gnawd upon his heart.
2. There is a ſlaviſh feare; when a man feares God as a Gallyſlave feares him that tooke him captive, whom he would kill, or flie from, if he could or durſt. When a man counts the commandements of God to be bonds & fetters, which they would faine ſhake off; like thoſe that cried, Let us breake his bonds, Pſal. 2.3.and caſt his cords from us: When a man hates to bee reformed,Pſa. 50.17. like thoſe the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of. When a man hates God,Pſal. 139.21. (and ſuch there are) & yet ſometimes ſubjects to Gods command, becauſe hee dares doe no other; As King Abimelech would have taken to himſelfe Sarah, Abrahams wife: but that hee durſt not, becauſe God told him in a dreame, that if hee did,Gen. 20.3. hee was but a dead man. And Balaam wold faine have curſed the people of God, at King Balaks requeſt, but that hee durſt not, though Balak would have given him his houſe full of ſilver & gold.Num. 24.13. Thus the Divell himſelfe is Gods ſlave, & in many things obeyes God, becauſe hee dares not diſobey him.Antronius convertit ſe aliquando ad timoreus, runquain ad ſan…tatem. Or. pro P. Sylla. It may bee ſayd of them that thus feare God, as Cicero ſayd of Antronius, they turne themſelves ſometimes to feare,Quum quis timorep…nae bona agit, in co ipſo pe… cat, quo pe… care veliet, ſo inultè potuiſſet. Greg. but not to faithfulneſſe. When the feare onelyonly of puniſhment inſtigates a man to good; in this he offends, becauſe hee would commit that evill, which hee doth forbeare, if his Impietie might bee with impunity. This is that feare, which Divines uſe to call ſervile feare; and Saint Baſil ſtiles an hoſtile feare; Hic timor pe…candi ſacultatem diſſerre poteſt, auſorre non poteſt: & quos ſuſpendit a crimine avidicres reddit ad crimen. Chryſ.the feare of an enemy to God. And in this it differs from the feare of an accuſing conſcience, becauſe that feare reflects upon an evil already committed: this feare prevents the commiſſion of many ſinnes. The feare of a ſelfe accuſing conſcience, is a ſlaviſh feare; but every ſlaviſh feare is not the feare of a ſelf-accuſing conſcience.
There is the feare of a ſervant, which is different from what they call ſervile, or ſlaviſh feare. For though every ſlave be a ſervant, yet every ſervant is not a ſlave. And though the feare of a ſervant be not ſo good as the feare of a ſonne, yet is better than the feare of a ſlave. The ſlaviſh feare is mixt with a hatred of God; but this feare is mixed with ſome ſmall degree of the love of God. That drives a man from God, this drawes a man to God: Mar. 5.33.as that woman that trembled, yet came to Chriſt, and fell downe before him. This feare is, when a man having well ſtudied the Law of GOD, and compared his heart and life with that perfect rule, ſees himſelfe fall infinitely ſhort of it, and therupō acknowledges himſelfe liable to all the curſes of God, due to the diſobedient; and utterly diſclaimes all helpe, or worthineſſe of helpe in himſelfe; and ſtands, like a man over a Vault of Gunpowder, the match being ready to bee put to the traine, and ſees no ſafety, but in Gods merciemercy, and Chriſts merites, which yet hee is fearefull to apply to himſelfe, leſt hee ſhould have no intereſt in them. This feare is, though imperfect, yet allowable, and neceſſarie.Rom. 8.15. Yee have not (ſayes Saint Paul) received the ſpirit of bondage to feare again: whence note, that they had afore received the ſpirit of bondage to feare. This feare wee call an initiall feare; and every thing muſt have a beginning. The Law by ſtirring up this feare,Gal. 3.24. is a Schoolemaſter to lead us to Chriſt. It is like Iohn the Baptiſt, who prepared the way of the Lord. Like the Needle, that though of it ſelfe it ſewes not, yet it leads the way to the thread that doth ſew. The compunction of this feare delivers up the Soule to the kindly impreſſion of love.Compunct io for midin… tra. lit animum compunctioni dilectionis. Greg. Et unus ſpiritus eſt, qui fecit duos timores. Aug. And through this feare of a ſervant wee muſt paſſe to the feare of ſonnes; and it is one and the ſame Spirit of God, that workes both theſe feares in us: and the one as … preparative to the other.
4. There is a Filiall feare, which though it be joyned with a greater degree of love than is in a ſervant, yet with a leſſe degree of love than is in a loyall wiſe.
This Childe-like feare,
1. Stands in awe of God for his excellencie, and tranſcendent glory, though it expect no evill from God, but good. It will keepe a wary diſtance, and not be over-daringly bold. When God hath given Iacob faire promiſes in his ſleepe; yet awaking he was a fraid, and ſayd, How dreadfull is this place! Gen. 28.16.17.This is no other than the houſe of God: This is the gate of Heaven. And this is called, a fearing before, Eccleſ. 8.12.or in the preſence of God. As when a man ſtands afore his Prince, his Majeſtie ſtrikes a trembling awe into him; though otherwiſe hee have no reaſon to bee afrayd, his conſcience bearing him witneſſe, that hee hath not any way willingly incur'd his Princes diſpleaſure. This is the feare of reverence.
2. As this filiall feare is Reverentiall: ſo it is Carefull, that God our heavenly Father, may no way bee diſpleaſed by us, not only becauſe that Gods diſpleaſure may ſhowre downe in puniſhments upon us; but becauſe he is our Father, whom wee have a tender care to pleaſe, he having deſerved the flower of our affection, and ſervice.Pſal. 130.4. There is merciemercy with thee that thou mayſt bee feared, ſayth David.
5. And laſtly, there is the feare of a loving and loyall wife: when a man feares God, as a kinde wife feares an indulgent husband. And this I make to differ from filiall feare, not in kinde, but in degree. This Conjugall feare is matched with an unſpeakable melting love, and a conſtant care that no unkindneſſe happen. A ſonne may expreſſe his love, but not in that height as a wife may. And though the wife bee without ſervile feare, yet ſhee exceedes the ſonne in a fearfull (but loving) Care, that her husband bee not diſpleaſed, that affection between them may not grow dull and remiſſe; that there may be no cauſe given, that may occaſion ſo much as a frowne, or a croſſe word, much leſſe a ſeparation. Saint Auguſtine ſweetly ſets this forth, in comparing ſervile and filiall feare of God, with a harlots and a good wives feare of their husbands One feares left her husband ſhould come home;Illa timet ne venit, illa ne diſcedat: illa ne dam…et, illa ne d… ſerat. the other feares leſt her husband ſhould depart from her, though for a ſmall time. The one feares leſt her husband ſhould chide or ſtrike her, the other feares leſt hee ſhould forſake her. To which I may adde, the one feares leſt her husband ſhould be angry with her; the other feares leſt hee ſhould be angry at all. The one feares her owne vexation, the other feares her huſbands diſquiet. This is the genuine true bred feare of God; which S. Paul makes a ſigne of true repentance, 2 Cor. 7.11.never to bee repented of. What carefulneſſe hath it wrought in you? yea, what feare? that is, what care, what feare, that the glory of God may not ſuffer through you. And ſo much for the firſt diſtinction; where in, under ſeverall reſemblances I have ſhadowed out but two feares in effect, the ſlaviſh and the filiall feare of God: though they obtaine ſeverall names by reaſon of their different degrees, and extents of their operations.
The ſecond diſtinctionThe ſecond diſtinction is this, that there is a forced feare, and a voluntary feare of God.
1. The forced is the guilty, the ſlaviſh feare. For he that is poſſeſſed with it, labours to drive it away; to drown it with drinking, merriment, joviall company, vaine diſcourſe, or obſcene ſongs: as the ancient Italians would confound the noyce of thunder with the ſound of Bells.
This was Belſhazzars feare,Dan. 5.5.6. when God ſent a hand to write his doome upon the wall afore his face; hee would faine have continued his mirth, but it would not be: for will he, nill he, his countenance was changed, his thoghts troubled him, ſo that the joynts of his loyns were looſed, and his knees knockt one againſt the other. Such was the feare of Felix the Romane Governour, when he ſent for Paul to ſpeake before him, hee was ſo farre from thinking, that Paul ſhould terrifie him, that hee thought to terrifie Paul: For when S. Pa l reaſoned of Righteouſneſſe, Act. 24.24.25.and Temperance, and the Iudgement to come, Felix trembled. And he diſmiſſed Saint Paul, that he might rid himſelfe of thoſe fits and qualmes of feare.
2. There is a voluntary, free, unconſtrained feare of God; and ſuch is the filiall feare: A feare that is deſired, and prized by him that feares. It is thirſted after:Nehem. 1.11. We deſire to feare thy Name, ſayth Nehemiah. It is prayed for: Vnite my heart to feare thy Name, Pſa. 86.11.ſayth David. It is a feare that a Saint dedicates, and gives up himſelfe unto.Pſa. 119.38. Thy ſervant (ſayth David) who is devoted to thy feare. It is a feare that by the fearer is eſteemed and valued at a high rate. The feare of the Lord is his treaſure. Eſay 33.6.This is the ſecond diſtinction.
The thrid diſtinction is this:The third diſtinction.
There is a fourefold feare of GOD.
1. A feare that flowes from the Spirit of God, but is not reſident in the heart with the Spirit of God: and this is that initiall feare that paves a path for the Spirit of Adoption, and for the true filiall feare. The Spirit workes many a common grace in that heart wherein it ſelfe is not: as it works this feare. As the Sun afore it riſeth, darts light into that part of the heaven, and ayre wherein he himſelfe is not. This feare is from the Spirit, but not with the Spirit.
2. There is a feare where the Spirit of God is, and yet it flows not from the Spirit: as many things may be done by children, or ſervants in a houſe, where the father or maſter is, and yet they may not be the authors of them. Thus a ſoule, that is the manſion of the holy ſpirit of God, may harbour in it carnall diſtruſtfull feares, and cares, that the Spirit of GOD hath no hand in. This was Davids feare, that was joyned with a diffidence in Gods many promiſes made unto him to the contrary. I ſhall periſh one day, 18 am. 27.1.ſaith he, by the hand of Saul. This feare was with, but not from the Spirit.
3. There is a feare, that neither proceedes from, nor is joyned with the Spirit of God. Such is that unſanctified ſlaviſh feare, that turnes the affection from God, and moves a man to flie from God. It was the fear of thoſe in the Pſalmiſt, that were in feare where no feare was: Pſal. 53.3.5.and yet they turned back from God, they were filthy, they devoured Gods people, they called not upon God. This feare is neither with, nor from the Spirit.
There is a feare that hath the holy Spirit of God, both for its original, and alſo its companion: like that day light that is both with and from the Sunne: this is filiall feare. The Spirit of God is ſtiled the ſpirit of this feare;Iſai. 11.2. becauſe it is both from the Spirit, and with the Spirit.
Theſe diſtinctions beeing well weighed, wil caſt ſuch beames of light upon the matter in queſt, that hee that runnes, may read the full comprehenſion of the nature of the feare of God.
CHAP. III. How God, being the chiefeſt good, can bee feared.
IF it bee demanded, how GOD, beeing good in himſelfe, and good to all, can be feared, ſeeing wee uſually feare onelyonly evill?
Tis anſwered,
1. That we may feare God with a feare of honour and regard. If I be a father, ſayth God, where is my honour? Matth. 1.6.If I be a maſter, where is my ſeare? In that text feare and honour are all one.
2. Though God bee good, and wee cannot feare him as euill, yet we may feare a loſſe of, and a ſep…ration from our good GOD: the more good any thing is, the more wee feare the cutting off of our intereſt in it. And in this ſenſe are thoſe wordes of S.Nihil timemus, niſi, neid juod amanous, aut adeptum amittamus, aut non adipiſcamur ſperatum. Aug. Auſtine to bee taken. We feare good, in fearing leſt wee ſhould loſe that good wee enjoy, or not obtaine that good wee deſire or hope for.
3. We may feare our God, though hee bee good, becauſe hee is a great and a juſt God, who is able to ſave and to deſtroy,I am. 4.12. foreign. Ariſt. Rhet. l. 2. c. 5. as St. Iames ſpeakes Thoſe things (ſaith Ariſtotle) are to be feared, which have an apparent power to inflict great puniſhments upon us, and to doe us much hurt. And this agrees with that of our Saviour, Feare him who is able to deſtroy both body and ſoule. Math. 10.28. All puniſhment comes from God, but in that reſpect puniſhment is good, becauſe it is a worke of Iuſtice. Thus wee may feare GOD, though he be good.
Laſtly, wee may bee fearfull of offending God, in the ingenuity of our diſpoſitions; becauſe he hath been, and is every way ſo good a God unto us.Pſal 30.4 1 Sam. 12.24. There is merciemercy with thee, that thou mayſt bee feared, ſaith David. And theſe two duties are joyned together, Feare the Lord; and, Conſider what great things hee hath done for you. Wee feare God, not onelyonly for that evill that hee may do againſt us, but alſo for that good that hee hath done for us. Nay, feare of God is? thing ſo proper, that ſome deriv… foreign, the name of God, from foreign, which ſignifies feare.
And why is GOD ſayd to bee fearfull in prayſes, Exod. 15.11.but becauſe we both feare and prayſe him for his greatneſſe and his goodneſſe? The object both of feare and prayſe may be the ſame. And to this ſounds that of the Prophet, They ſhall feare the Lord, Hoſea 3.5.and his goodneſſe in the latter dayes.
CHAP. IIII. Whether Adam in the ſtate of innocencie feared God? and whether the Angels and Saints in heaven feare God?
ADAM had the naturall affection of feare in his Soule while he ſtood, though he had no occaſion to bring it into act, till after he fell. As Adam ſtanding, had a power, a facultie in him to bee pittifull, if there had been an object whereupon to exerciſe his pitty. And there is no queſtion, but in his innocent eſtate, he feared God with the feare of honour, reverence, and obſervance.
Next, for the Angels and Saints in heaven, though that place will admit of no feare of puniſhment; becauſe no evill is poſſibly incident to the bleſſed: for the celeſtiall pararadiſe is a manſion of eternall ſecurity, wherin the enioyers are not onelyonly ſafe, but ſure they are ſafe.Et ſilvi & ſecurt. But yet it doth not derogate from their happineſſe, to ſay, that thoſe that are in heaven, doe feare God with a feare of honour and reverence, which St Auſtin calles a ſecure feare. Timor ſecurus. Aug.And Gregorie in his Morals, ſpeaking of thoſe words in Iob, the pillars of heaven tremble, ſayth,Job. 26.11. The powers in heaven ſtand in awe in the contemplation of God: Virtutes coeleſtes in Dei contemplatione contremiſcunt. Greg. Non timor paenalis, ſed …dmtrationis.which feare he ſaith, is not a penall feare, but a feare of admiration, extaſie, aſtoniſhment at the tranſcendent immenſity of Gods glory. And wee ſhall offer no violence to that, Pſal. 19.9. The feare of God endures for ever; and that Ier. 32.39. I will give them a heart to feare mee for ever, if wee faſten this ſence upon them.