The agreemente of sondry places of scripture seeming in shew to iarre, seruing in stead of commentaryes, not onely for these, but others lyke, translated out of French, and nowe fyrst publyshed by Arthure Broke. Seene and allowed, accordyng to the ordre appoynted in the Queenes Maiestyes iniunctions.

89 (Book 89)

Blessed are they that feare the Lord.

Psalme. 128.

Feare is not in Loue.

1. Ioan. 4.

THERE are two sortes of feare, the firste procedeth of Fayth whi∣che maketh vs apprehend the pre∣sence of God: and thys apprehension can not bee wythout feare: notwith∣standing that feare is not without com¦forte. The wicked also may haue feare and horrour of the presence of the lord but that feare maketh them to remayn confounded.

There is a goodly example of bothe in the resurrection of the Sonne of God. The Soldiours that kepte the tombe feared. The holye wemen also that came to anoynt hys body were afraid. But let vs heare what difference there is betwene the one feare and the other. The Soldioures whyche were inured with tumultes and stryfe were for all that so astonnied and swallowed vp with fighte that they fell as half dead, yea not hauing strengthe or power to ryse. The wemen lykewyse feared but comforte followed by and by after

which raysed thē vp from their feare & flyghte so that at the last they began to hope for some better thing. And truely it is very conuenient that y^• hygh ma∣iesty of God should indifferently make al to tremble, as well the good as the ill, to the ende that all flesh may kepe scilence before hys face. But after that the Lorde hymselfe hath humbled the faythfull, foorthwith he appeaseth their fearfulnesse leaste beeing ouer∣charged they shoulde fal vnder the bur¦den, and not that onely, but also he healeth by the mildenesse of hys grace the wound and hurt which he himselfe caused. But as touching the repro∣bate and proud they are sodenly flygh∣ted, and wyther by little and little in their tourmentes: as men out of theyr wittes are agaste for a litle whyle: yet are they not touched to the quicke, for by and by they forget that they wer in feare, not that the remembraunce of the feare is altogether oute of them, but bycause thys lyuely apprehension of Gods power is fallen from them.

Nowe as touching the fyrst Feare whiche proceadeth of Fayth, it maketh vs to walke in all reuerence and obe∣dience vnto Goddes Iustyce. And therefore it maketh vs happy bycause God wyl neuer forsake those that obey him in feare and lowlynesse. Thys is contrary to the common opinion of al men that they that seate the Lord are happy and principally in thys life. For how many Epicures are there whiche vomite oute blasphemies, saying that God fauoureth the wicked when they prosper in their wickednesse. More∣ouer the prosperity of the wicked trou∣bleth and maketh the weake to wauer: besyde, they faint in trouble and vn∣quietnesse. And althoughe the dis∣pisers of God ar not very wel at their ease, and that the state of the good is in some sorte good and tollerable: yet so it is that the more parte haue their eyes blinde or shutte vppe when they consider Goddes prouidence. But howsoeuer it be, this is very cer∣tayne that happye are they that feare the Lorde.

Nowe if it be so that true chary∣ty (whiche can not be withoute Fayth, and is not but of the holy Ghoste) cau∣seth vs to know that we abyde in God and hee in vs: howe is it sayed that fea••e is not in loue? but that loue dri∣ueth out al feare?

We muste remembre the seconde kinde of feare which bringeth nothing but trembling and horroure. There is in deede a seruyle feare which is al∣together contrary to willing reuerēce. When we loue not God francklye as our father but ar chiefely constrayned by feare of punnishment: but Saynte Iohn meaneth another thynge: hys mind is to shew that when we knowe by Faith what the loue of god to vs is, wee haue peace in our conscience why∣che is contrary to this feare. And though we cannot yet altogether driue feare awaye, bycause we canne haue but a little taste of the loue of God to∣wardes vs, yet whennesoeuer we haue recourse to God as to an assured porte free from all feare and daun∣ger of wracke and of all stormes and

tempestes feare is truly driuen awaye bycause it geueth place to fayth. Feare then is not in loue, not that it moueth not our hearts, but bicause it troubleth vs not nor letteth not our reste whiche wee obtayne by fayth. So a man maye saye of those two sayinges that there is in them diuersitye, but no con∣trarietie.