grace of fear in his heart may perhaps be a Scruple to some but in my judgment the next must have respect to the latter to wit to the grace of fear for without that be indeed in the heart the word will not produce that good selfdenial in us that here you find this good man to live in the daily exercise of The fear of God therefore that was the cause of his Self-denial was this grace of fear in his heart This made him to be as was said before tender of the honour of God and of the Salvation of his brother yea so tender that rather then he would give an occasion to the weak to stumble or be offended he would even deny himself of that which others never sticked to do Paul also through the sanctifying operations of this fear of God in his heart did deny himself even of Lawful things for the profit and Commodity of his Brother I will not eat flesh while the World standeth least I make my Brother to offend That is if his eating of it would make his Brother to offend 1 Cor. 8.13 Men that have not this fear of God in them will not cannot deny themselves of love to God and the good of the weak who are subject to stumble at indifferent things but where this grace of fear is there follows Selfdenial there men are tender of offending and count that it far better becoms their profession to be of a Self denying condesending conversation and temper them to stand sturdily to their own liberty in things inexpedient who even is offended thereat This grace of fear therefore is a very excellent thing because it yieldeth such excellent fruit as this For this Self-denial of how little esteem soever it be with some yet the want of it if the words of Christ be true as they are takes quite away from even a professor the very name of a disciple Mat. 10.37 38. Luke 14 ver 26 27.33 They saies Nehemiah Lorded it over the Brethren but so did not I. They took Bread and Wine and forty Shekles of Silver of them but so did not I yea even their Servants bare rule over the people but so did not I because of the fear of God Sixthly There flows from this godly fear of God singleness of heart Col. 3 2. Singleness of heart both to God and man singlenes of heart that is it which in an other place is called sincerity and godly simplicity and it is this when a man doth a thing simply for the sake of him or of the Law that commands it without respect to this by end or that desire of praise or of vain-glory from others I say when our obedience to God is done by us simply or alone for Gods sake for his words sake without any regard to this or that by-end or reserve not with eye service as men pleasers but with singleness of heart fearing God A man is more subject to nothing then to swerve from singleness of heart in his service to God and obedience to his Will How doth the Lord charge the Children of Israel and all their obedience and that for seventy years together with the want of singleness of heart towards him when ye fasted and mourned in the fift and seventh month even those seventy years did ye at all fast to me even to me And when ye did eat and when ye did drink did you not eat for your selves and drink for your selves Zech 7.5 6. They wanted this singleness of heart in their fasting in their eating in their mourning and in their drinking they had double hearts in what they did They did not as the Apostle bids whether they eat or drink or what ever they did do all to the glory of God And the reason of their want of this thing was they wanted this fear of God for that as the Apostle here saith effecteth singleness of heart to God and makes a man as John said of Gains do faithfully what ever he doth 3 John 5. And the reason is as hath bin already urged for that Grace of fear of God retaineth and keepeth upon the heart a reverent and awful sense of the Dread Majesty and All-seeing eye of God also a due consideration of the day of account before him it likewise maketh his service sweet and pleasing and fortifies the soul against all discouragements by this means I say the soul in its service to God or man is not so soon captivated as where there is not this fear but through and by it its service is accepted being single sincere simple and faithful when others with what they do are cast into Hell for their hypocrisie for they mix not what they do with Godly fear Singleness of heart in the service of God is of such absolute necessity that without it as I have hinted nothing can be accepted because where that is wanting there wanteth love to God and to that which is true holiness in deed T was this singleness of heart that made Nathaniel so honorable in the eyes of Jesus Christ. Behold said he an Israelite indeed in whom there is no Guile John 1. And t was the want of it that made him so much abhor the Pharisees They wanted sincerity simplicity and godly sincerity in their souls and so became an abhorrence in his esteem Now I say this golden Grace singleness of heart it flows from this godly fear of God Seventhly There flows from this godly fear of God compassion and bowels to those of the Saints that are in necessity and distress This is manifest in good Obadiah It is said of him That he took an hundred of the Lords Prophets and hid them by fifty in a Cave and fed them with Bread and Water in the daies when Jezebel that Tyrant sought their lives to distroy them 1 King 18.3 4. But what was it that moved so upon his heart as to cause him to do this thing why it was this blessed grace of the fear of God Now Obadiah saith the text Feared the Lord greatly for so it was when Jezebel cut off the Prophets of the Lord that Obadiah took an hundred Prophets and hid them by fifty in a Cave and fed them with Bread and Water This was charity to the distressed even to the distressed for the Lords sake Had not Obadiah served the Lord yea had he not greatly feared him he would not have been able to do this thing especially as the case then stood with him and also with the Church at that time for then Jezebel sought to stay all that indeed feared the Lord yea and the persecution prevailed so much at that time that even Elijah himself thought that she had killed all but him But now even now the fear of God in this good mans heart put forth it self into acts of mercy though attended with so eminent danger Se here therefore that the fear of God will put forth it self in the heart where God hath put it even to
Word of God joyntly designing the glory of it Among which phrases as you see this is one The FEAR of the Lord is clean enduring for ever This written Word is therefore the object of a Christians Fear This is that also which David intended when he said Come ye children hearken to me I will teach you the Fear of the Lord Psal. 34.11 I will teach you the Fear That is I will teach you the Commandments Statutes and Judgments of the Lord even as Moses commanded the children of Israel Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up Deut. 6.4 5 6 7. That also in the 11th of Isaiah intends the same where the Father saith of the Son That he shall be of a quick understanding in the fear of the Lord that he may judge and smite the earth with the ROD of his mouth This Rod in the Text is none other but the FEAR the Word of the Lord for he was to be of a quick understanding it IT that he might smite that is execute it according to the Will of his Father upon and among the children of men Now this as I said is called the Fear of the Lord because it is called the Rule and Director of our Fear For we know not how to fear the Lord in a saving way without its guidance and direction As it is said of the Priest that was sent back from the captivity to Samaria to teach the people to fear the Lord. So it is said concerning the written word it is given to us and left among us that we may read therein all the daies of our life and LEARN to fear the Lord Deut. 6.1 2 3 24. chap. 10.12 chap. 17.19 And hear it is that trembling at the Word of God is even by God himself not only taken notice off but counted as laudable and praise-worthy as is evident in the case of Josiah 2 Chron. 34.26 27. Such also are the approved of God let them be condemned by whomsoever Hear the word of the Lord ye that tremble at his Word your brethren that hated you that cast you out for my names sake said let the Lord be glorified but he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed Isa. 66.5 Further Such shall be looked too by God himself cared for and watched over that no distress temptation or affliction may overcome them and destroy them To this man will I look saith God even to him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit and that trembles at my word It is the same in substance with that in the same Prophet in chap. 57. For thus saith the High and Holy One that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is Holy I dwell in the High and Holy Place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Yea the way tâ— escape dangers foretold is to hearken to understand and fear the Word of God Hâ— that feared the Word of the Lord amongst the Servants of Pharaoh made his Servants and his Cattle flee into houses and they were secured But he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his Servants and Cattel in the Field and they were destroyed of the hail Exod. 9.20 21 22 23 24 25. If at any time the sins of a Nation or Church are discovered and bewailed it is by them that know and tremble at the Word of God when Ezra heard of the wickedness of his brethren and had a desire to humble himself before God for the same who were they that would assist him in that matter but they that trembled at the word of God Then saith he were assembled to me every one that trembled at the Word of the God of Israel because of the transgression of these that had been carried away Ezra 9.4 They are such also that tremble at the Word that are best able to give counsel in the matters of God for their Judgment best suiteth with his mind and will Now therefore said he let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the Strange wives according to the counsel of my Lord and of those â—hat tremble at the Commandment of our God â—nd let it be done according to the Law Ezra â—â— 3 Now something of the dread and terrour of the Word lieth in these things 1. As I have already hinted from the Author of them They are the Words of God Therefore you have Moses and the Prophets when they came to deliver their errand their message to the people still saying Hear the Word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord and the like So when Ezekiel was sent to the house of Israel in their state of Religion thus was he bid to say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Thus saith the Lord God Ezek. 2.4 Chap. 3. v. 11. This is the honour and majesty then that God hath put upon his written Word and thus he hath done even of purpose that we might make them the rule and directory of our FEAR and that we might stand in aw of and tremble at them When Habakkuk heard the Word of the Lord his belly trembled and rotteness entred into his bones I trembled in my self said he that I might have rest in the day of trouble Hab. 3.16 The word of a King is as the roaring of a Lion where the word of a King is there is power what is it then when God the great God shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem whose voice shakes not only Earth but also Heaven How doth holy David set it forth The voice of the Lord is powerful the voice of the LORD is full of majesty c. Psal. 29. 2. It is a word that is fearful and may well be called the fear of the Lord because of the subject matter of it to wit the state of sinners in another world for that is it unto which the whole Bible bendeth it self either more immediately or more mediately all its doctrines counsels incouragements threatnings and judgments have a look one way or other upon us with respect to the next world which will be our last state because 't will be to us a state eternal This word this law these Judgments are they that we shall be disposed of by The word that I have spoken saies Christ it shall judge you and so consequently dispose of you at the last day Joh. 12. Now if we consider that our next state must be Eternal either Eternal glory or Eternal fire and that this Eternal glory or this Eternal fire must be our portion according as the words of God revealed in the holy Scriptures shall determine who will not but conclude that therefore the words of God are they at which we should tremble and they by which we should
small in the worlds eyes in thine own eyes in the Saints eyes as sometimes one Saint is little in another Saints eye yet thou because thou fearest God art put among the blessed 2. By small sometimes is meant those that are but small of stature or young in years little Children that are easily passed by and looked over as those that sang Hosanna in the Temple were when the Pharisees deridingly said of them to Christ dost thou hear what THESE say Matth. 20.16 Well but Christ would not dispise them of them that feared God but preferred them by the Scripture-Testimony far before those that did contemn them Little Children how small so ever and although of never so small esteem with men shall also if they fear the Lord be blessed with the greatest Saints He shall bless them that fear him small and great 3. By small may sometimes be meant those that are small in grace or gifts these are said to be the least in the Church that is under this Consideration and so are by it least esteemed Thus also is that of Christ to be understood In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me 1 Cor. 6.4 Matth. 25.45 Art thou in thine own thoughts or in the thoughts of others of these last small ones small in grace small in gifts small in esteem upon this account yet if thou fearest God if thou fearest God indeed thou art certainly blessed with the best of Saints The least Star stands as fixed as the bigest of them all in Heaven He shall bless them that fear him small and great He shall bless them that is with the same blessing of eternal life For the different degrees of grace in Saints doth not make the blessing as to its nature differ 'T is the same Heaven the same Life the same Glory and the same Eternity of Felicity that they are in the text promised to be blessed with That is observable which I mentioned before where Christ at the day of Judgment particularly mentioneth and owneth the least In as much as ye did it not to one of the least The least then was there in his Kingdom and in his Glory as well as the biggest of all He shall bless them that fear him SMALL and great The small are mamed first in the text and are so the first in rank it may be to shew that though they may be slighted and little set by in the world yet they are much set by in the eyes of the Lord. Are great Saints only to have the Kingdom and the glory everlasting Are great works only to be rewarded works that are done by vertue of great grace and the abundance of the gifts of the holy Ghost No Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple Verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose a Disciples reward Mark here is but a little gift a Cup of cold water and that given to a little Saint but both taken special notice of by our Lord Jesus Christ Matth. 10.42 He will give reward to his Servants the Prophets and to his Saints and to them that fear his name small and great Revel 11.18 The Small therefore among them that fear God are blessed with the great as the great with the same salvation the same glory and the same eternal life and they shall have even as the great ones also shall as much as they can carry as much as their hearts souls bodys and capacities can hold Thirteenthly Dost thou fear God why the Holy Ghost hath on purpose indicted for thee an whole Psalme to sing concerning thy self So that thou mayest even as thou art in thy calling bed Journey or when ever sing out thine own blessed and happy condition to thine own comfort and the comfort of thy fellows The Psalm is called the 128. Psalm I will set it before thee both as it is in the reading and in the singing Psalms Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walketh in his waies for thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee Thy wife shall be a fruitful Vine by the sides of thine house thy children like Olive Plants round about thy Table Behold that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the daies of thy life yea thou shalt see thy childrens Children and peace upon Israel As it is sung Blessed art thou that fearest God And walkest in his way For of thy Labour thou shalt eat Happy art thou I say Like fruitful Vines on thy House side So doth thy wife spring out Thy Children stand like Olive Plants Thy Table round about Thus art thou blest that fearest God And he shall let thee see The promised Jerusalem And her felicity Thou shalt thy Childrens Children see To thy great Joyes increase And likewise grace on Israel Prosperity and Peace And now I have done with the priviledges when I have removed one Objection Object But the Scripture saies Perfect love casteth out fear and therefore it seems that Saints after that a Spirit of Adoption is come should not fear but do their duty as another Scripture saith without it 1 Joh. 4.18 Luk. 1.74 75. Answ. Fear as I have shewed you may be taken several waies 1. It may be taken for the fear of Divels 2. It may be taken for the fear of reprobates 3. It may be taken for the fear that is wrought in the godly by the Spirit as a Spirit of bondage or 4. It may be taken for the fear that I have been but now discoursing of Now the fear that perfect love casts out cannot be that sonlike gracious fear of God that I have in this last place been treating of because that fear that love casts out hath torment but so has not the Son-like fear Therefore the fear that love casts out is either that fear that is like the fear of Devils and Reprobates or that fear that is begot in the heart by the Spirit of God as a Spirit of bondage or both for indeed all these kinds of fear have torment and therefore may be cast out and are so by the Spirit of Adoption which is called the Spirit of Faith and love when he comes with power into the soul so that without this fear we should serve him But to argue from these texts that we ought not to fear God or to mix fear with our worship of him is as much as to say that by the Spirit of Adoption we are made very Rogues for not to fear God is by the Scripture applied to such Luk. 23.40 But for what I have affirmed the Scripture doth plentifully confirm saying Happy is the man that feareth alway And again It shall be well with them that fear God
be content therewith they should earnestly covet more pray for more and use all lawful that is all the means of Gods appointing that they may get more There are as I have said already several degrees of this grace of fear and our wisdom is to grow in IT as in all other the graces of the Spirit The reasons why I have shewed you and also the way to grow therein but the least measure thereof will do as I said that is keep the soul from final apostacy There are as I have shewed you those that greatly fear the Lord that fear exceedingly and that fear him above many of their brethren but the small in this grace are saved as well as these that are great therein He will save them that fear him small and great This fear of the Lord is the pulse of the soul and as some pulses beat stronger some weaker so is this grace of fear in the soul. They that beat best are a signe of best life but they that beat worst shew that life is present As long as the pulse beats we count not that the man is dead though weak and this fear where it is preserves to everlasting life Pulses there are also that are intermitting to wit such as have their times for a little a little time to stop and beat again ' True these are dangerous pulses but yet too a signe of life This fear of God also is sometimes like this intermitting pulse there are times when it forbears to work and then it works again David had an intermitting pulse Peter had an intermitting pulse as also many other of the Saints of God I call that an intermitting pulse with reference to the fear we speak of when there is some obstruction by the workings of corruptions in the soul I say some obstruction from and hindrance of the continual motion of this fear of God yet none of these though they are various and some of them sings of weakness are signs of death but life I will put my fear in their heart and they shall not depart from me But you may say How shall I know that I fear God Ans. If I should say that desires true sincere desires to fear him is fear it self I should not say amiss Nehe. 1.11 For although a desire to be or do so and so makes not a man to be in temporal or natural things what he desires to be for a sick or poor or imprisoned man may desire to be well to be rich or to be at liberty and yet be as they are sick poor or in prison Yet in spirituals a mans desire to be good to believe to love to hope and fear God doth flow from the nature of grace it self I said before that in temporals a man could not be properly be said to be what he was not yet a man even in naturals or temporals shews his love to that thing that he desires whether it be health riches or liberty and in spirituals desires of from love to this or that grace of God sincere desires of it flow from the root of the grace it self Thy Servants that desire to fear thy name Nehemiah bore himself before God upon this That he desired to fear his name And hence again it is said concerning desires true desires The desire of a man is his kindness Prov. 19.22 For a man shews his heart his love his affections and his delights in his desires and since the grace of fear of God is a grace so pleasant in the sight of God and of so sanctifying a nature in the soul where it is a true sincere desire to be blessed with that grace must needs flow from some being of this grace in the soul already ' True desires are lower than higher acts of grace but God will not look over desires But now they DESIRE a better Country that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Mark they desire a Country and they shall have a City At this LOW place to wit sincere desires God will meet the soul and will tell him that he hath accepted of his desires that his desires are his kindness and flow from grace it self He will fulfil the desires of them that fear him Therefore desires are not rejected of God but they would if they did not flow from a principle of grace already in the soul therefore desires sincere desires to fear God flow from grace already in the soul. Therefore since thou fearest God and it is evident by thy desires ' that thou dost so do thou ART happy NOW in this thy fear and SHALT be happy for ever hereafter in the injoyment of that which God in another world hath laid up for them that fear him 3. Another encouragement for those that have this grace of fear is this This grace can make that man that in many other things is not capable of serving of God serve him better then those that have all without it Poor Christian man thou hast scarce been able to do any thing for God all thy daies but only to fear the Lord. Thou art no Preacher and so canst not do him service that way Thou art no rich man and so canst not do him service with outward substance Thou art no wise man and so canst not do any thing that way But here is thy mercy thou fearest God Though thou canst not preach thou canst fear God Though thou hast no bread to feed the belly nor fleece to cloth the back of the poor thou canst fear God O how blessed is the man that feareth the Lord because this duty of fearing of God is an act of the mind and may be done by the man that is destitute of all things but that holy and blessed mind Blessed therefore is that man for God hath not laid the comfort of his people in the doing of external duties nor the salvation of their souls but in believing loving and fearing God Neither hath he laid these things in actions done in their health nor in the due mannagement of their most excellent parts but in the receiving of Christ and fear of God The which good Christian thou maiest do and do acceptably even though thou shouldest lie bed-rid all thy daies thou maiest also be sick and believe be sick and love be sick and fear God and so be a blessed man And here the POOR Christian hath some thing to answer them that reproach him for his ignoble pedigree and shortness of the glory of the wisdom of the World ' True may that man say I was taken out of the Dunghil I was born in a base and low estate But I fear God I have no worldly greatness nor excellency of natural parts but I fear God When Obadiah met with Elijah he gave him no worldly and fantastical complement nor did he glory in his promotion by Ahab the King of Israel but gravely and after a gracious manner said