The remedy of prophanenesse. Or, Of the true sight and feare of the Almighty A needful tractate. In two bookes. By Ios. Exon.

SECT. II.

AS above we shall need no words; when we shall be all spirit, and our language shall be all thoughts, so, below, wee cannot but want words, wherein to cloath the true no∣tions of our hearts. I never yet could find a tongue, that yeel∣ded any one terme to notifie the awfull disposition of the heart towards God; wee are wont to call it Feare; but this appellation comes farre too short; for this signifies an af∣fection; whereas this, which we treat of, is no other than an excellent vertue, yea a grace

rather; yea rather a precious composition of many divine graces, and vertues.

* 1.1It is no marvell therefore, if the Spirit of God have wont under this one word, to com∣prehend all that belongs either to the apprehension, or adora∣tion of a God; For this alone includes all the humble con∣stitution of an holy soule, and all the answerable demeanure of a mortified creature: nei∣ther is there any thing so well becomming an heart sensible of infinitenesse, as this which wee are faine to mis-name Feare.

To speak properly, there is no feare but of evill, and that

w^ch we justly call servile: which is a doubtfull expectation of something that may be hurt∣full to us: and this, when it prevailes, is horror, and dread∣full confusion; an affection (or perturbation rather) fit for the gallies, or hell it selfe; Love casts it out, as that which is ever accompanied with a kind of hate; and so will we; we are meditating of such a temper of the heart,* 1.2 as in the continu∣ance of it is attended with bles∣sednesse; as in the exercise of it, is fixed upon infinite great∣nesse, and infinite goodnesse, and in the meane time is ac∣companied with unspeakable peace, and contentment in

the Soule.

And yet, who so had a de∣sire to retaine the word (if our Ethick Doctors would give him leave) might say, that affe∣ctions well imployed upon ex∣cellent objects, turne vertues; so love though commonly marshelled in those lower ranks of the soule, yet when it is elevated to the All-glorious God, is justly styled the high∣est of Theologicall vertues, yea, when it rises but to the levell of our brethren, it is Christian charity; so, griefe for sinne, is holy penitence; and what more heavenly grace can be incident into the soule, than joy in the holy Ghost? Neither is it

otherwise with Feare, when it is taken up with worldly oc∣currents of paine, losse, shame, it is no better than a trouble∣some passion, but when wee speak of the feare of God, the case and style is so altered, that the breast of a Christian is not capable of a more divine grace. But not to dwell in syllables, nor to examine curious points of morality: That which we speak of, is no other than a re∣verentiall awe of the holy and infinite majesty of God, con∣stantly and unremovably set∣led in the soule; A disposition so requisite, that he who hath it, cannot but be a Saint, and he that hath it not, is in a sort with∣out

God in the world. To the producing whereof there is need of a double apprehensi∣on; The one of an incompre∣hensible excellence, and in∣separable presence of God; The other of a most miserable vilenesse, and, as it were, no∣thingnesse of our selves. The former is that which the spirit of God calls the sight of the Invisible: For sight is a sense of the quickest, and surest per∣ception; so as in seeing of God, we apprehend him infinitely glorious in all that he is, in all that he hath, in all that he doth; and intimately present to us, with us, in us.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 42.18 Deu 6.13. Psa. 25.12. Eccl. 12.13 Psal. 128.1.
• * 1.2

  Psa. 103.17 128.4 Eccl. 8.11.