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1 JOHN 4.18.There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath tor∣ment: he that feareth, is not made perfect in love.
VErse 17. he ••roved, that such as love one another, may have boldnesse in the day of judgement, this he proved;
1. From the likenesse to God v. 17.
2. He proves it from the contrariety that is betwixt fear and love, There is no fear in love, which he proves by an effect of love, perfect love casteth out fear, and therefore perfect love and fear cannot stand together, this he proves by a double argument 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fear.
1. Fear hath ••••••ments, therefore love, a peaceable grace, casts out fear.
2. Because he that feareth is not perfect in love, therefore he that is perfect in love fears not.
In this 18. verse, 1. Observe the estate of a soul troubled with fear, and that is a state of torment.
2. The unsound and uncomfortable condition of such a soul, he is not per∣fect in love.
3. The remedy of this estate, perfect love casts out fear.
4. The exemption of perfect love from all fear, or the comfortable condi∣tion of a soul so healed by love, There is no fear in love.
Fear hath torment, and he speaks of the fear of death, but specially of judgement; where that fear is, there is torment, the word translated torment, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is elsewhere so translated, Mat. 25. ult. The torment here spoken of, is such a kinde of torments as hell is, not for measure, but for kind. For the handling of this, we may see what the Scripture speaks of this torment in the severall descriptions and metaphors.
First, This torment is sometimes called pricking of conscience, Acts 2.37. they were pricked at their hearts with fear and shame for sin, though but a lit∣tle before they scoft at the Apostle, v. 13. yet now they were struck with such torments, as they knew not what to doe.
Secondly, Its called a wounding of the spirit, Prov. 18.14. which woun∣ding is a larger gash then pricking, and so implyes more anguish, fear and shame.
Thirdly, It is compared to the sting of a Scorpion, Rev. 9.5. the Jesuites doe so sting men with torments of hell and horrour of conscience, and God gave them not power to heal themselves again; hence they thought every thing little enough to satisfie their conscience, and so they suck out their estates in building Hospitalls, and bestowing on their Cloysters.
Fourthly, The wrath of God in the soul is compared to venomed arrows, Job 6.4.
Fifthly, This torment is called the rending of the heart, Joel 2.13. Rend your hearts and not your garments, the heart and thoughts are so rent and distracted, that one thing will not hang by another.
David calls this, melting of spirit, Psal. 119.28. as if the heart were like wax, and Gods wrath like burning fire, therefore a man in this case is in a bitter estate, Job 13.26. Thou writest bitter things against me, Isa. 38.15 I shall goe mourning in the bitternesse of my soul, for this the soul is troubled, Psal. 77. and sorely vexed, Psal. 6.3.
Why doth a soul lying in fear, lye in torment?
Reas. 1. Consider this fear in the effects of it, this fear sometimes brings men into trembling of body, so that all the spirits flie inward.
2. If it continue, it leads oft times to inward Consumptions of body, or burning Agues, Hab. 3.16. Psal. 30.4, 5.