This glorious deſcription of a woman fearing the Lord, is not mine (Bleſſed Brethren) but the Scriptures, wherein I finde; 1. The cauſe of her Feare to be not Selfe-Loue[68], but the Loue of God; not the ſpirit of Bondage[69]; but the Spirit of Adoption: 2. The Obiect of her feare to be not the precepts of men[70], but the Commandements of God[71]: not his Threats only[72], but his Promiſes alſo[73]: not his Anger only againſt ſin[74], but his Mercy alſo in Chriſt[75]: not his Preſence only, as a Reuenging Iudge[76], but his Forbearance alſo as a louing Father[77]. 3. The workings of her Feare to be in the heat of temptations and afflictions, not Deſpairing[78]; but Beleeuing the forgiueneſſe of her ſinnes, not Limiting God to the present danger; but[79]waiting for his mercy, not Diſtruſting his Prouidence; but hoping for Good[80]: not Murmuring againſt him; but praiſing Him, and praying vnto Him[81], yea (which is the proper Act of her Feare) not Louing any ſin, but hating and eſchewing all ſin[82], not out of a ſlauiſh terrour of puniſhment; but chiefly becauſe it is Sinne, an Infinite euill; and becauſe an Infinite Good God, whom ſhe loueth (ſaith Saint Auguſtine) is offended by it, though ſhe ſhould neuer goe to Hell-fire to be puniſhed for it[83].
FOOTNOTES:
[63] Gal. 6. 9. Iam. 1. 19. 1 Tim. 4. 13. 1 Theſſ 5. 17. Luk. 2. 37. Epheſ. 4. 26. Phil. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 4. Luk. 9. 23. & 14. 26.
[64] Pſal. 18. 23. & 77. 10. Gen. 39. 9. Prou. 16. 6. & 8. 13.
[65] Gen. 17. 1. Pſal. 6. 8. & 116. 9. Act. 10. 33. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Iob 34. 21. Prou. 15. 3. & 5. 22. 2 Chron. 16. 9 1 King. 17. 1. Magna eſt cautela peccati, Dei ſemper preſentiam timere. S. Aug. de Temp. tom. 212. tom. 10.
[66] Multum enim refrænat homines cōscientia, ſi credamus nos in cōſpectu Dei uiuere, ſi non, tantum quæ gerimus uideri deſuper, ſed etiam quæ cogitamus, aut loquimur, audiri a Deo putamus &c. Lact. de Irâ Dei. c.8.
[67] Eſ. 3. 8. 1 Cor. 3. 22. Pſalm. 119. 14.72. 127.162.
[68] 2 Tim. 1. 7 & 3. 2.
[69] Rom. 8. 15.
[70] Eſ. 29. 13.