ministration as to this particular in leaving off to work now by the Law as afore and comming to the soul with the sweet word of promise of life and salvation by Jesus Christ. Thus far this fear is godly that is until Christ by the spirit in the Gospel is revealed and made over unto us and no longer Thus far this fear is godly and the reason why it is godly is because the ground-work of it is good I told you before what this fear is namely It is the fear of damnation Now the ground for this fear is good as is manifest by these particulars 1. The soul feareth damnation and that rightly because it is in its sins 2. The soul feareth damnation rightly because it hath not faith in Christ but is at present under the Law 3. The soul feareth damnation rightly now because by sin the Law and for want of faith the wrath of God abideth on it But now although thus far this fear of God is good and godly yet after Christ by the Spirit in the word of the Gospel is revealed to us and we made to accept of him as so revealed and offered to us by a true and living faith this fear to wit of damnation is no longer good but ungodly Nor doth the Spirit of God ever work it in us again Now we do not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear that is to say to fear damnation but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry father father But I would not be mistaken when I say that this fear is no longer godly I do not mean with reference to the essence and habit of it for I believe it is the same in the feed which shall afterwards grow up to an higher degree and into a more sweet and gospel currant and manner of working but I mean refference to this act of searing damnation I say it shall never by the spirit be managed to that work it shall never bring forth that fruit more And my reasons are 1. Because that the soul by closing through the promise by the spirit with Jesus Christ is removed off of that foundation upon which it stood when it justly feared damnation It hath received NOW forgiveness of sin it is now no more under the law but in Jesus Christ by faith therefore there is now NO condemnation toit Act. 26.18 Rom. 6.14 chap. 8.1 The ground-work therefore being now taken away the spirit worketh that fear no more 2. He cannot after he hath come to the soul as a spirit of adoption come again as a spirit of bondage to put the soul in t his first fear to wit a fear of eternal damnation because he cannot say and unsay do and undo As a spirit of adoption he told me that my sins were forgiven me that I was included in the covenant of grace that God was my Father through Christ that I was under the promise of salvation and that this calling and gift of God to me is permanent and without repentance And do you think that after he hath told me this and sealed up the truth of it to my precious soul that he will come to me and tell me that I am yet in my sins under the curse of the Law and the eternal wrath of God No no the word of the Gospel is not yea yea nay nay It is only yea and amen it is so as God is true 2 Cor. 1.17 18 19 20. 3. The state therefore of the sinner being changed and that too by the spirits changing his dispensation leaving off to be now as a spirit of bondage to put us in fear and coming to our heart as the spirit of adoption to make us cry father father he cannot go back to his first workagain for if so then he must gratify yea and also ratifiy that profane and Popish doctrine forgiven to day unforgiven to morrow a child of God to day a child of Hell to morrow but what saith the Scriptures Now therefore such are no more strangers and foreiners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Christ Jesus himself being the chief Corner-stone In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord in whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit Ephes. 2. Object But this is contrary to my experience Why Christian what is thy experience Why I was at first as you have said possessed with the fear of damnation and so under the power of the spirit of bondage Well said and how was it then Why after some time of continuance in these fears I had the spirit of adoption sent to me to seal up to my soul the forgiveness of sins and so he did and was also helped by the same spirit as you have said to call God Father Father Well said and what after that Why after that I fell into as great fears as ever I was in before Ans. All this may be granted and yet nevertheless what I have said will abide a truth for I have not said that after the spirit of adoption is come a Christian shall not again be in as great fears for he may have worse than he had at first but I say that after the spirit of adoption is come the spirit of bondage as such is sent of God no more to put us into those fears For mark for we have not received the spirit of bondage AGAIN to fear Let the Word be true whatever thy experience is Dost thou not understand me After the Spirit of God has told me and also helped me to believe it that the Lord for Christ's sake hath forgiven mine iniquities he tells me no more that they are not forgiven After the Spirit of God has helped me by Christ to call God my Father he tells me no more that the Devil is my Father After he hath told me that I am not under the Law but under grace he tells me no more that I am not under grace but under the Law and bound over by it for my sins to the wrath and judgment of God But this is the fear that the Spirit as a spirit of bondage worketh in the soul at first Quest. Can you give me further reason yet to convict me of the truth of what you say Answ. Yes 1. Because as the Spirit cannot give himself the lie so he cannot overthrow his own order of working nor yet contradict that testimony that his servants by his inspiration hath given of his order of working with them But he must do the first If he saith to us and that after we have received his own testimony that we are under grace that yet we are under sin the Law and wrath And he must do the second if after he hath gone through the first work on us as a spirit of bondage to the second as a spirit of adoption he
should overthrow as a spirit of bondage AGAIN what before he had built as a spirit of adoption And the third must therefore needs follow that is he overthroweth the testimony of his servants for they have said That now we receive the spirit of bondage AGAIN to fear no more that is after that we by the Holy Ghost are enabled to call God Father Father 2. This is evident also because the covenant in which now the soul is interested abideth and is everlasting not upon the supposition of my obedience but upon the unchangable purpose of God and the efficacy of the obedience of Christ whose blood also hath confirmed it It is ordered in all things and sure said David and this said he is all my salvation 2 Sam. 23.5 The covenant then is everlasting in it self being established upon so good a foundation and therefore standeth in it self everlastingly bent for the good of them that are involved in it Hear the tenor of the covenant and God's attesting of the truth thereof This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more Heb. 8.10 11 12. Now if God will do thus unto those that he hath comprized in his everlasting covenant of grace then he will remember their sins no more that is unto condemnation for so it is that he doth forget them then cannot the Holy Ghost who also is one with the Father and the Son come to us again even after we are possessed with these glorious fruits of this covenant as a spirit of bondage to put us in fear of damnation 3. The Spirit of God after it is come to me as a spirit of adoption can come to me no more as a spirit of bondage to put me in fear that is with my first fears because by that faith that he even he himself hath wrought in me to believe and call God Father Father I am united to Christ and stand no more upon mine own legs in mine own sins or performances but in his glorious righteousness before him and before his Father but he will not cast away a member of his body of his flesh and of his bones nor will he that the Spirit of God should come as a spirit of bondage to put him into a grounded fear of damnation that standeth compleat before God in the righteousness of Christ for that is an apparent contradiction And the third must therefore needs follow that is he overthroweth the testimony of his servants for they have said That now we receive the spirit of bondage AGAIN to fear no more that is after that we by the Holy Ghost are enabled to call God Father Father 2. This is evident also because the covenant in which now the soul is interested abideth and is everlasting not upon the supposition of my obedience but upon the unchangable purpose of God and the efficacy of the obedience of Christ whose blood also hath confirmed it It is ordered in all things and sure said David and this said he is all my salvation 2 Sam. 23.5 The covenant then is everlasting in it self being established upon so good a foundation and therefore standeth in it self everlastingly bent for the good of them that are involved in it Hear the tenor of the covenant and God's attesting of the truth thereof This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more Heb. 8.10 11 12. Now if God will do thus unto those that he hath comprized in his everlasting covenant of grace then he will remember their sins no more that is unto condemnation for so it is that he doth forget them then cannot the Holy Ghost who also is one with the Father and the Son come to us again even after we are possessed with these glorious fruits of this covenant as a spirit of bondage to put us in fear of damnation 3. The Spirit of God after it is come to me as a spirit of adoption can come to me no more as a spirit of bondage to put me in fear that is with my first fears because by that faith that he even he himself hath wrought in me to believe and call God Father Father I am united to Christ and stand no more upon mine own legs in mine own sins or performances but in his glorious righteousness before him and before his Father but he will not cast away a member of his body of his flesh and of his bones nor will he that the Spirit of God should come as a spirit of bondage to put him into a grounded fear of damnation that standeth compleat before God in the righteousness of Christ for that is an apparent contradiction Quest. But may it not come again as a spirit of bondage to put me into my first fears for my good Ans. The Text saith the contrary For we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear Nor is God put to it for want of wisdom to say and unsay do and undo or else he cannot do good When we are sons and have received the adoption of children he doth not use to send the spirit after that to tell us we are slaves and heirs of damnation also that we are without Christ without the promise without grace and without God in the World and yet this he must do if it comes to us after we have received him as a spirit of adoption and put us as a spirit of bondage in fear as before Quest. But by what spirit is it then that I am brought again into fears even into the fears of damnation and so into bondage by Ans. By the spirit of the Devil who alwaies labours to frustrate the faith and hope and comfort of the godly Quest. How doth that appear Answ. 1. By the groundlesness of such fears 2. By the unseasonableness of them 3. By the effects of them 1. By the groundlesness of such fears The ground is removed for a grounded fear of damnation is this I am yet in my sins in a state of nature under the law without faith and so under the wrath
of God this I say is the ground of the fear of damnation the true ground to fear it but now the man that we are talking of is one that hath the ground of this fear taken away by the testimony and seal of the spirit of adoption he is called justified and has for the truth of this his condition received the evidence of the spirit of adoption and hath been thereby enabled to call God Father Father now he that hath received this has the ground of the fear of damnation taken from him therefore his fear I say being without ground is false and so no work of the Spirit of God 2. By the unseasonableness of them This spirit alwaies comes too late It comes after the spirit of adoption is come Satan is alwaies for being too soon or too late If he would have men believe they are children he would have them believe it while they are slaves slaves to him and their lusts If he would have them believe they are slaves it is when they are sons and have received the spirit of adoption and the testimony by that of their sonship before And this evil is rooted even in his nature He is a lyar and the Father of it John 8. and his â—ies are not known to Saints more than in this that he labours alwaies to contradict the work and order of the spirit of truth 3. It also appears by the effects of such fears For there is a great deal of difference betwixt the natural effects of these fears which are wrought indeed by the spirit of bondage and those which are wrought by this spirit of the Devil afterwards The one to wit the fears that are wrought by the spirit of bondage causeth us to confess the truth to wit that we are Christless graceless faithless and so at present that is while he is so working in a sinful and damnable case but the other to wit the spirit of the Devil when he comes which is after the spirit of adoption is come he causeth us to make a lye that is to say we are christless graceless and faithless Now this I say is wholly and in all the parts of it a lye and HE is the Father of it Besides the direct tendency of the fear that the Spirit of God as a spirit of bondage worketh in the soul is to cause us to come repenting home to God by Jesus Christ but these latter fears tend directly to make a man he having first denyed the work of God as he will if he falleth in with them to run quite away from God and from hâ—s grave to him in Christ as will evidently appear if thou givest but a plain and honest answer to these questions following 1. Quest. Doth not these fears make thee question whether there was ever a work of grace wrought in thy soul Answ. Yes verily that they do 2. Quest. Doth not these fears make the question whether ever thy first fears was wrought by the Holy Spirit of God Answ. Yes verily that they do 3. Quest. Doth not these fears make thee question whether ever thou hast had indeed any true comfort from the Word and Spirit of God Answ. Yes verily that they do 4. Quest. Dost thou not find intermixed with THESE fears plain assertions that thy first comforts were either from thy fancy or from the Devil and a fruit of his delusions Answ. Yes verily that I do 5. Quest. Doth not THESE fears weaken thy heart in prayer Answ. Yes that they do 6. Quest. Doth not these fears keep thee back from laying hold of the promise of salvation by Jesus Christ Answ. Yes for I think if I were deceived before if I were comforted by a spirit of delusion before why may it not be so again so I am afraid to take hold of the promise 7. Quest. Doth not these fears tend to the hardning of thy heart and to the making of thee desperate Answ. Yes verily that they do 8 Quest. Doth not THESE fears hinder thee from profiting in hearing or reading of the Word Answ. Yes verily for still whatever I hear or read I think nothing that is good belongs to me 9 Quest. Doth not THESE FEARS tend to the stirring up of blasphemies in thy heart against God Answ. Yes to the almost distracting of me 10 Quest. Doth not these fears make thee sometimes think that it is in vain for thee to wait upon the Lord any longer Answ. Yes verily and I have many times almost come to this conclusion that I will read pray hear company with Gods people or the like no longer Well poor Christian I am glad that thou hast so plainly answered me but prethee look back upon thy answer how much of God dost thou think is in these things how much of his Spirit and the grace of his Word just none at all for it cannot be that these things can be the true and natural effects of the workings of the Spirit of God NO not as a spirit of bondage These are not his doings dost thou not see the very paw of the Devil in them yea in every one of thy ten confessions is there not palpably high wickedness in every one of the effects of this fear I conclude then as I began that the fear that the Spirit of God as a spirit of bondage worketh is good and godly not only because of the Author but also because of the ground and effects but yet it can last no longer as such as producing the aforesaid conclusion then till the spirit as the spirit of adoption comes because that then the soul is manifestly taken out of the state and condition into which it had brought it self by nature and sin and is put into Christ and so by him into a state of life and blessedness by grace Therefore if first fears come again into thy soul after that the spirit of adoption hath been with thee know they come not from the Spirit of God but apparently from the spirit of the Devil for they are a lie in themselves and their effects are sinful and devilish Object But I had also such wickedness as those in my heart at my first awaking and therefore by your argument neither should that be but from the Devil Answ. So far forth as such wickedness was in thy heart so far did the Devil and thine own heart seek to drive thee to despair and dround thee there but thou hast forgot the question the question is not whether then thou wast troubled with such iniquities but whether thy fears of damnation at that time were not just and good because grounded upon thy present condition which was for that thou wast out of Christ in thy sins and under the curse of the Law and whether now since the spirit of adoption is come unto thee and hath thee and hath done that for thee as hath been mentioned I say whether thou oughtest for any thing whatsoever to give way to the same fear from the same
ground of damnation it is evident thou oughtest not because the ground the cause is removed Object But since I was sealed to the day of redemption I have grievously sinned against God have not I therefore cause to fear as before may not therefore the spirit of bondage be sent again to put me in fear as at first sin was the first cause and I have sinned now Answ. No by no means for we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear That is God hath not given it us for God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7 If therefore our first fears come upon us again after that we have received at Gods hands the spirit of love of power and of a sound mind it is to be refused though we have grievously sinned against our God This is manifest from 1 Sam. 12. Fear not ye have done all this wickedness That is not with that fear which would have made them fly from God as concluding that they were not now his people And the reason is because sin cannot dissolve the covenant into which the Sons of God by his grace is taken If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgments if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments then will I visit their transgressions with a rod and their iniquities with stripes nevertheless my loving-kindness I will not utterly take away from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail Psal. 89.30 33. Now if sin doth not dissolve the covenant if sin doth not cast me out of this covenant which is made personally with the Son of God and into the hands of which by the grace of God I am put then ought I not though I have sinned to fear with my first fears 2. Sin after that the spirit of adoption is come cannot dissolve the relation of Father and Son of Father and child And this the Church did rightly assert and that when her heart was under great hardness and when she had the guilt of erring from his waies saith she Doubtless thou art our Father Doubtless thou art though this be our case and though Israel should not acknowledge us for such Isa. 63.16 17. That sin dissolveth not the relation of Father and Son is further evident see Gal. 4.4 When the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Father Father Now mark wherefore thou art no more a Servant that is no more under the Law of death and damnation but a Son and if a Son then an heir of God through Christ. Suppose a child doth grevously transgress against and offend his Father is the relation between them therefore dissolved Again suppose the Father should scourge and chasten the Son for such offence is the relation between them therefore dissolved Yea suppose the child should now through ignonorance cry and say this man is now no more my father is he therefore now no more his Father doth not every body see the folly of arguings why of the same nature is that doctrine that saith that after we have received the spirit of adoption that the spirit of bondage is sent to us again to put us in fear of eternal damnation Know then that thy sin after thou hast received the spirit of adoption to cry unto God Father Father is counted the transgression of a child not of a slave and that all that happeneth to thee for that transgression is but the chastizement of a Father And what Son as he whom the father chasteneth not It is worth your observation That the Holy Ghost checks those who under their chastizements for sin forgot to call God their Father You have saith Paul forgotten the Exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto Children my Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Yea observe yet further that Gods chastizing of his children for their sin is a sign of grace and love and not of his wrath and thy damnation therefore NOW there is no ground for the aforesaid fear For whom the Lord loveth he chastizeth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Heb. 12. Now if God would not have those that have received the spirit of the Son however he chastises them to forget the relation that by the adoption of Sons they stand in to God if he cheks them that do forget it when his rod is upon their backs for sin then it is evident that those fears that thou hast under a colour of the coming again of the spirit as a spirit of bondage to put thee in fear of eternal damnation is nothing else but Satan disguised the better to play his pranks upon thee I will yet give you two or three instances more wherein it will be manifest that what ever happeneth to thee I mean as a chastizement for sin after the spirit of adoption is come thou oughtest to hold fast by faith the relation of Father and Son 1. The people spoken of by Moses are said to have lightly esteemed the rock of their salvation which rock is Jesus Christ and that is a grievous sin indeed yet saith he Is not God thy Father that hath bought thee and then puts them upon considering the daies of old Deut. 32.6 2. They in the Prophet Jeremiah had played the harlot with many lovers and done evil things as they could and as another Scripture hath it gone a whoring from under their God yet God calls to them by the Prophet saying Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me my Father thou art the God of my youth Jer. 3.1 7. 3. Remember also that eminent text made mention of in 1 Sam. 12. Fear not ye have done all this wickedness and labour to maintain faith in thy soul of thy being a child it being true that thou hast received the spirit of adoption before and so that thou oughtest not to fall under thy first fears because the ground is taken away of thy eternal damnation Now let not any from what hath been said take courage to live loose lives under a supposition that once in Christ and ever in Christ and the covenant cannot be broken nor the relation of Father and Child dissolved for they that do so 't is evident have not known what 't is to receive the spirit of adoption It is the Spirit of the Devil in his own hue that suggesteth this unto them and that prevaileth with them to do so shall we do evil that good may come shall we sin that grace may abound or shall we be base in life because God by grace hath secured us from wrath to come God forbid these conclusions betoken one void of the fear of God
16. The method of God is to kill and make alive to smite and then heal when the Commandment came to Paul sin revived and he died and that Law which was ordained to life he found to be unto death That is it passed a sentence of death upon him for his sins and slew his conscience with that sentence Therefore from that time that he heard that word why dost thou persecute me which is all one as if he had said why dost thou commit murder he lay under the sentence of condemnation by the law and under this fear of that sentence in his conscience He lay I say under it untill that Ananias came to him to comfort him and to preach unto him the forgivness of sins Acts 9. The fear therefore that now I call godly it is that fear which is properly called the fear of eternal damnation for sin and this fear at first awakening is good and godly because it ariseth in the soul from a true sense of its very state It s state by nature is damnable because it is sinful and because he is not one that as yet believeth in Christ for remission of sins He that believeth not shall be damned He that believeth not is condemned already and the wrath of God abideth on him Mark 16 16. Joh. 3.18 36. The which when the sinner at first begins to see he justly fears it I say he fears it justly and therefore godly because by this fear he subscribes to the sentence that is gone out against him for sin Secondly By who or by what is this fear wrought in the heart To this I shall answer in brief It is wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God working there at first as a Spirit of bondage on purpose to put us in fear This Paul insinuateth in Rom. 8.15 Saying Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear He doth not say ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage for that they had received and that to put them in fear which was at first conversion as by the instances made mention of before is manifest all that he saies is that they had not received it again that is after the spirit as a spirit of adoption is come for then as a spirit of bondage it cometh no more It is then the Spirit of God even the Holy Ghost that convinceth us of sin and so of our damnable state because of sin Joh. 16.8 9. For it cannot be that the Spirit of God should convince us of sin but it must also shew us our state to be damnable because of it especially if it so convinceth us before we believe and that is the intent of our Lord in that place of sin and so of their damnable state by sin because they believe not on me Therefore the Spirit of God when he worketh in the heart as a spirit of bondage he doth it by working in us by the Law for by the Law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 And he in this his working is properly called a spirit of bondage 1. Because by the Law he shews us that indeed we are in bondage to the Law the Devil and Death and damnation for this is our proper state by nature though we see it not until the Spirit of God shall come to reveal this our state of bondage unto our own senses by revealing to us our sins by the Law 2. He is called in this his working the spirit of bondage because he here also holds us to wit in this sight and sense of our bondage-state so long as is meet we should be so held which to some of the Saints is a longer and to some a shorter time Paul was held in it three daies and three nights but the Jaylor and the three thousand so far as can be gathered not above an hour but some in these later times are so held for daies and months if not years But I say let the time be longer or shorter it is the Spirit of God that holdeth him under this yoak and it is good that a man should be HIS time helden under it As is that saying of the lamentation It is good that a man bear the yoak in his youth That is at his first awakning Lamen 3.27 So long as seems good to this holy Spirit to work in this manner by the Law Now as I said the sinner at first is by the Spirit of God held in this bondage that is hath such a discovery of his sin and of his damnation for sin made to him and also is held so fast under the sense thereof that it is not in the power of any man nor yet of the very Angels in Heaven to release him or set him free until the Holy Spirit changeth his ministration and comes in the sweet and peaceable tidings of salvation by Christ in the Gospel to his poor dejected and afflicted conscience Thirdly I now come to shew you what this fear doth in the soul. Now although this godly fear is not to last alwaies with us as I shall further shew you anon yet it greatly differs from that which is wholly ungodly of it self both because of the Author and also of the effects of it Of the Author I have told you before I now shall tell you what it doth 1. This fear makes a man judge himself for sin and to fall down before God with a broken mind under this Judgment The which is pleasing to God because the sinner by so doing justifies God in his saying and clears him in his Judgment Psal. 5.1 2 3 4. 2. As this fear makes a man judge himself and cast himself down at Gods foot so it makes him condole and bewail his misery before him which is also well pleasing in his sight I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself saying thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoak c. Jer. 31 18 19. 3. This fear makes a man lie at Gods foot and puts his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope This also is well-pleasing to God because now is the sinner as nothing and in his own eyes less than nothing as to any good or desert He sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath now this yoak upon him He putteth his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope Lamen 3.28 29. 4. This fear puts a man upon crying to God for mercy and that in most humble manner now he sensibly cries now he dejectedly cries now he feels and cries now he smarts and cries out God be merciful to me a sinner Luke 18.13 5. This fear makes a man that he cannot accept of that for support and succour which others that are destitute thereof will take up and be contented with This man must be washed by God himself and cleansed from his sin by God himself Psal. 51. 6. Therefore this fear goes not away until the Spirit of God doth change his
give not way to thy first fears lest as I said before thou addest to thine affliction and to help thee here Let me give thee a few instances of the carriages of some of the Saints under some of the most heavy afflictions that they have met with for sin 1. Job was in great affliction and that as he confessed for sin Joh. 7.20 Insomuch that he said God had set him for his mark to shoot at and that he ran upon him like a Giant that he took him by the neck and shook him to pieces and counted him for his enemy that he hid his face from him and that he could not tell where to find him yet he counted not all this as a sign of a damnable state but as a tryal and chastizement and said when he was in the hottest of this battel when I am tried I shall come forth like gold And again when he was pressed upon by the tempter to think that God would kill him he answers with greatest confidence Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 16.14 ver 12. Chap. 19.11 Chap. 23.8 9 10. Chap. 13.15 2. David complained that God had broken his bones that he had set his face against his sins and had taken from him the joy of his salvation yet even at this time he saith O God thou God of my Salvation Psal. 51.8 9 12 14. 3. Haman complained that his soul was full of troubles that God had laid him in the lowest pit that he had put his acquaintance far from him and was casting off his soul and had hid his face from him That he was afflicted from his youth up and ready to die with trouble he saith moreover that the fierce wrath of God went over him that his terrours had cut him him off yea that by reason of them he was distracted and yet even before he maketh any of these complaints he takes fast hold of God as his saying O Lord God of my Salvation Psal. 88. 4. The Church in the Lamentations complains that the Lord had afflicted her for her transgressions and that in the day of his fierce anger also that he had trodden under foot her mighty men and that he had called the heathen against her she saies that he had covered her with a cloud in his anger that he was an enemy and that he had hung a chain upon her she adds moreover that he had shut out her prayer broken her teeth with gravel stones and covered her with ashes and in conclusion that he had utterly rejected her But what doth she do under all this tryal doth she give up her faith and hope and return to that fear that begot the first bondage No The Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will I hope in him yea she adds O Lord thou hast pleaded the cause of my soul thou hast redeemed my life Lamen 1.5 Chap. 2.1 2 5. Chap. 3.7 8 16. Chap. 5.22 Chap. 3 24 31 58. These things shew that Gods people even after they have received the spirit of adoption have fell foully into sin and have been bitterly chastized for it and also that when the rod was most smart upon them they made great conscience of giving way to their first fears wherewith they were made afraid by the Spirit as it wrought as a spirit of bondage for indeed there is no such thing as the coming of the Spirit of bondage to put us in fear the second time as such that is after he is come as the spirit of adoption to the soul. I conclude then that THAT fear that is is wrought by the spirit of bondage is good and godly because the ground for it is sound and I also conclude that he comes to the soul as a spirit of bondage but once and that once is before he comes as a spirit of adoption and if therefore the same fear doth again take hold of thy heart that is if after thou hast received the spirit of adoption thou fearest again the damnation of thy soul that thou art out of Christ and under the Law that fear is bad and of the Devil and ought by no means to be admitted by thee Quest. But since it is as you say how doth the Devil after the spirit of adoption is come work the child of God into those fears of being out of Christ not forgiven and so an heâ—r of damnation again Answ. 1. By giving the lie and by prevailing with us to give it too to the work of grace wrought in our hearts and to the testimony of the holy spirit of adoption Or 2. By abusing of our ignorance of the everlasting love of God to his in Christ and the duration of the covenant of grace Or 3. By abusing some scripture that seems to look that way but doth not Or 4. By abusing our senses and reason Or 5. By strengthening of our unbelief Or 6. By overshaddowing of our judgment with horrid darkness Or 7. By giving of us counterfeit representations of God Or 8. By stirring up and setting in a rage our inward corruptions Or 9. By pouring into our hearts abundance of horrid blasphemies Or 10. By putting of wrong constructions on the rod and chastizing hand of God Or 11. By charging upon us that our ill behavours under the rod and chastizing hand of God is a sign that we indeed have no grace but are down-right damned graceless reprobates By these things and others like these Satan I say Satan bringeth the Child of God not only to the borders but even into the bowels of the fears of damnation after it hath received a blessed testimony of eternal life and that by the holy spirit of adoption Quest. But would you not have the people of God stand in FEAR of his rod and be afraid of his judgments Answ. Yes and the more they are rightly afraid of them the less and the seldomer they will come under them for 't is want of fear that brings us into sin and 't is sin that brings us into these afflictions But I would not have them fear with the fear of slaves for that will add no strength against sin but I would have them fear with the reverential fear of Sons and that is the way to depart from evil Quest. How is that Answ. Why having before received the spirit of adoption still to believe that he is our father and so to fear with the fear of children not as slaves fear a tyrant I would therefore have them to look upon his rod rebukes chidings and chastizements and also upon the wrath wherewith he doth inflict to be but the dispensations of their Father This believed maintains or at least helps to maintain in the heart a Son-like bowing under the rod. It also maintains in the soul a Son-like confession of sin and a justifying of God under all the rebukes that he grieveth us with It also engageth us to come to him to claim and lay hold of former mercies to
expect more and to hope a good end shall be made of all Gods present dispensations towards us Mich. 7.9 Lam. 1.18 Psal. 77.10 11 12. Lam. 3.31 32 33 34. Now God would have us thus fear his rod because he is resolved to chastize us therewith if so be we sin against him as I have already shewed for although Gods bowels turn within him even while he is threatning his people yet if we sin he will lay on the rod so hard as to make us cry Wo unto us that we have sinned Lam. 5.16 and therefore as I said we should be afraid of his judgments yet only as afore is provided as of the rod wrath and judgment of a Father Quest. But have you yet any other considerations to move us to FEAR God with child-like FEAR Answ. I will in this place give you five 1. Consider that God thinks meet to have it so and he is wiser in heart than thou he knows best how to secure his people from sin and to that end hath given them Law and Commandments to read that they may learn to fear him as a Father Job 37.24 Eccles. 3.14 Deut. 17.18 19. 2. Consider he is mighty in power if he touch it but with a fatherly touch man nor Angel cannot bear it yea Christ makes use of that argument he hath power to cast into hell fear him Luke 12.4 5. 3. Consider that he is every where thou canst not be out of his sight or presence nor out of the reach of his hand Fear ye not me saith the Lord can any hide himself in secret places that I should not see him saith the Lord do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Jer. 5.22 chap. 23.24 4. Consider that he is holy and cannot look with liking upon the sins of his own people Therefore saies Peter Be as obedient children not fashioning your selves according to your former lusts in your ignorance but as he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy And if ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear 5. Consider that he is good and has been good to thee good in that he hath singled thee out from others and saved thee from their death and hell though thou perhaps was worse in thy life than those that he left when he laid hold on thee O this should engage thy heart to fear the Lord all the daies of thy life They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter daies Hos. 3.5 And now for the present I have done with that fear I mean as to its first workings to wit to put me in fear of damnation and shall come in the next place to treat of the grace of fear more immediately intended in the text Of the grace of fear more immediately intended in the text I shall now speak to this fear which I call a lasting godly fear First By way of Explication by which I shall shew 1. How by the Scripture it is described 2. I shall shew you what this fear flows from 3. And then I shall also shew you what doth flow from it For the first of these to wit how by the Scripture this fear is described and that 1. More generally 2. More particularly First More generally 1. It is called a grace that is a sweet and blessed work of the Spirit of grace as he is given to the elect by Hence the Apostle saies let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear Heb. 12. for as that fear that brings bondage is wrought in the soul by the spirit as a spirit of bondage so this fear which is a fear that we have while we are in the liberty of sons is wrought by him as he manifesteth to us our liberty where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty that is where he is as a Spirit of adoption setting the soul free from that bondage under which it was held by the same spirit while he wrought as a spirit of bondage Hence as he is called a spirit working bondage to fear so he as the Spirit of the Son and of adoption is called The Spirit of the fear of the Lord Isa. 11.2 Because it is that Spirit of grace that is the author animater and maintainer of our filial fear or of that fear that is son-like and that subjecteth the elect unto God his Word and Waies unto him his Word and Waies as a Father 2. This fear is called also the fear of God not as that which is ungodly is nor yet as that may be which is wrought by the spirit as a spirit of bondage but by way of eminency to wir as a dispensation of the grace of the Gospel and as a fruit of eternal love I will put MY FEAR in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Jer. 32.38 39 40 41. 3. This fear of God is called Gods Treasure for it is one of his choice Jewels it is one of the rarities of Heaven The fear of the Lord is his treasure Isa. 33.16 And it may well go under such a title for as treasure so the fear of the Lord is not found in every corner It is said all men have not faith because that also is more precious than gold the same is said about this fear There was no fear of God before their eyes that is the greatest part of men are utterly destitute of this goodly Jewels this treasure the fear of the Lord. Poor vagrants when hey come straglling to a Lords house may perhaps obtain some scraps and fragments they may also obtain old shooes and some sorry cast-off rags but they get not any of his Jewels they may not touch his choycest treasure that is kept for the children and those that shall be his heirs We may say the same also of this blessed grace of fear which is called here Gods treasure It is only bestowed upon the elect the heirs and children of the promise all others are destitute of it and so continue to death and Judgment 4. This Grace of fear Is that which maketh men excell and go beyond all men in the account of God It is that which beautifies a man and prefers him above all other Hast thou saies God to Satan considered my servant Job that there is none like him in all the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil Job 1.8 chap. 2. ver 4. Mind it There is none like him none like him in all the earth I suppose he means either in those parts or else he was the man that abounded in the fear of the Lord none like him to fear the Lord he only excelled others with respect to his reverencing of God bowing before him and sincerely complying with his will and therefore
shew kindness and to have co have compassion upon the distressed Servants of God even under Jezebels Nose for Obadiah dwelt in Ahabs hose and Jezebel was Ahabs Wife and an horrible persecutor as was said before yet Obadiah will shew mercy to the poor because he feared God yea he will venture her displeasure his place and neck and all but he will be merciful to his Brethren in distress Cornelius also being a man possessed with this fear of God became a very free-hearted and open-handed man to the poor He feared God and gave much Alms to the people Indeed this fear this godly fear of God it is an universal grace it will stir up the soul unto all good duties It is a fruitful grace from it where it is floweth abundance of excellent virtues nor without it can there be any thing good or done well that is done But Eightly There flows from this fear of God hearty fervent and constant prayer This also is seen in Cornelius that devout man He feared God and what then why he gave much Alms to the people and prayed to God alwaies Act. 10.1 2. Did I say that hearty fervent and constant prayer flowed from this fear of God I will add that if the whole duty and the continuation of it be not managed with this fear of God it profiteth nothing at all It is said of our Lord Jesus Christ himself He was heard in that he feared He prayed then because he feared because he feared God and therefore was his prayer accepted of him even because he feared He was heard in that he feared Heb. 5.7 This Godly fear is so essential to right prayer and right prayer is such an inseperable effect and fruit of this fear that thou must have both or none he that prayeth not feareth not God yet he that prayeth not fervently and frequently feareth him not and so he that feareth him not cannot pray for if prayer be the effect of this fear of God then without this fear prayer fervent prayer ceaseth How can they pray or make conscience of the duty that fear not God O prayerless man thou fearest not God! Thou wouldest not live so like a Swine or a Dog in the world as thou dost if thou fearedst the Lord. Ninthly There floweth from this fear of God a readiness or willingness at Gods Call to give up our best injoyments to his dispose This is evident in Abraham who at Gods call without delay rose early in the morning to offer up his only and well-beloved Isaac a burnt offering in the place where God should appoint him It was a rare thing that Abraham did and had he not had this rare grace this fear of God he would not he could not have done to Gods liking SO wonderful a thing 'T is true the Holy Ghost also makes this service of Abraham to be the fruit of his faith By faith Abraham offered up Isaac and he that had the promises offered up his only Son Heb. 11. Jam. 2. Ay and without doubt love unto God in Abraham was not wanting in this his service nor was this grace of fear nay in the story where it is recorded There it is chiefly accounted for the fruit of his godly fear and that by an Angel from Heaven And the Angel called out of Heaven and said Abraham Abraham And he said here am I. And he said lay not thine hand upon the Lad neither do thou any thing unto him for now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thine only Son from me Gen. 22.11 12. Now I know it NOW now thou hast offered up thine only Isaac thine All at the bidding of thy God Now I know it The fear of God is not presently discerned in the heart and life of a man Abraham had long before this done many a holy duty and shewed much willingness of heart to observe and do the Will of God yet you find not as I remember that he had this testimony from Heaven that he feared God till now but now he has it now he has it from Heaven Now I know that thou fearest God Many duties may be done though I do not say that Abraham did them without the fear of God but when a man shall not stick at or withhold his darling from God when called upon by God to offer in up unto him that declareth yea and gives conviction to Angels that NOW he feareth God Tenthly There floweth from this godly fear humility of mind This is evident because when the Apostle cautions the Romans against the venom of Spiritual Pride he directs them to the exercise of this blessed grace of fear as its antidote Be not high minded saith he but fear Rom. 11.20 Pride Spiritual Pride which is here set forth by the word high minded is a sin of a very high and damnable nature it was the sin of the fallen Angels and is that which causeth men to fall into the same condemnation Left being puffed up with Pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil Pride I say it damns a Professor with the damnation of Devils with the damnation of Hell and therefore it is a deadly deadly sin Now against this deadly sin is set the Grace of humility that comely garment for so the Apostle calls it saying be clothed with humility But the question is now how we should attain to and live in the exercise of this Blessed and comly grace to which the Apostle answers FEAR be afraid with godly fear and thence will flow humility Be not high minded but fear That is fear or be continually afraid and jealous of your selves and of your own naughty hearts also fear least at some time or other the Devil your adversary should have advantage of you FEAR lest by forgeting what you are by nature you also forget the need that you have of continual pardon support and supplies from the Spirit of Grace and so grow proud of your own abilities or of what you have received of God and fall into the condemnation of the Devil FEAR and that will make you little in your own eyes keep you humble put you upon crying to God for protection and upon lying at his foot for mercy that will also make you have low thoughts of your own parts your own doings and cause you to prefer your Brother before your self and so you will walk in humiliation and be continually under the teachings of God and under his conduct in your way The humble God will teach The meek will he guide in judgment the meek will he teach his way From this grace of fear then flows this excellent and comly thing humility yea it also is maintained by this fear FEAR takes off a man from trusting to himself it puts a man upon trying of all things it puts a man upon desiring counsel and help from Heaven it makes a man ready and willing to hear instruction and makes a man walk lowly softly and
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
rather stumble and fall even at your conversation and at your profession itself Wherefore to prevent this mischief that is of stumbling of souls while you make your profession of God by a conversation not becoming your profession God bids you fear him Implying that a good conversation coupled with fear delivers the blind world from those falls that otherwise they cannot be delivered from Thou shalt not curse the deaf nor put a stumbling block before the blind but shalt fear thy God I am the Lord Levit. 19.14 But shalt fear thy God that is the remedy that will prevent their stumbling at you at what else soever they stumble Wherefore Paul saies to Timothy Take heed to thy self and to thy doctrine continue in them for in so doing thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 1 Tim. 4.16 12. Another Motive to fear and grow in this fear of God is This is the way to engage God to deliver thee from many outward dangers whoever fals therin Psal. 34.7 This is proved from that of the story of the Hebrew Midwives The Midwives saies Moses feared God and did not drown the Men-Children as the King had commanded but saved them alive And what follows Therefore God dealt well with the Midwives and it came to pass that because the Midwives feared God that he made them houses Exod. 1. That is he sheltered them and caused them to be hid from the rage and fury of the King and that perhaps in some of the Houses of the Egyptians themselves for why might not the Midwives be there hid as well as was Moses even in the Kings Court And how many times are they that fear God said to be delivered both by God and his Holy Angels as also I have already shewed 13. Another Motive to fear and to grow in this fear of God is This is the way to be delivered from Errors and damnable opinions There are some that perish in their righteousness that 's an Error there be some that perish in their wickedness and that 's an Error also Some again prolong their lives by their wickedness and others are righteous over much and also some are over wise and all these are snares and pits and holes But then saiest thou how shall I escape Indeed that 's the question and the Holy Ghost resolves it thus He that feareth God shall come out of them all Eccles. 7.15 16 17 18. 14. Another Motive to fear and to grow in this fear of God is Such have leave be they never so dark in their souls to come boldly to Jesus Christ and to trust in him for life I told you before that they that fear God have in the general a licence to trust in him but now I tell you and that in particular that they and they specially may do it and that though in the dark you that sit in darkness and have no light if this grace of fear be alive in your hearts you have this boldness Who is among you that feareth the Lord mark that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his Servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Isa. 50.10 It is no small advantage you know when men have to deal in difficult matters to have a patent or licence to deal now to trust in the Lord is a dificult thing yet the best and most gainful of all But then some will say since t is so difficult how may we do without danger why the Text gives a licence a patent to them to trust in his name that have his fear in their hearts Let HIM trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God 15. Another Motive to fear and grow in the grace of fear is God will own and acknowledge such to be his who ever he rejecteth Yea he will distinguish and seperate them from all others in the day of his terrible Judgments He will do with them as he did by those that sighed for the abominations that were done in the Land Ezek. 9. command the man that hath his Inkhorn by his side To set a mark upon their foreheads that they might not fall in that Judgment with others So in Mal. 3. God saies plainly of them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name That they should be writ in his Book A Book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name and they shall he mine saith the Lord of Hosts in the day that I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him Mala. 3.16 17. Mark he both acknowledges them for his and also promises to spare them as a man would spare his own Son Yea and moreover will wrap them up as his chief Jewels with himself in the bundle of life Thus much for the Motives How to grow in this Fear of God Having given you these Motives to the duty of growing in THIS fear of God Before I leave this use I will in few words shew you HOW you may grow in THIS fear of God 1. Then If thou wouldest grow in this fear of God Learn aright to distinguish of fear in general I mean learn to distinguish between THAT fear that is godly and that which in it self is indeed ungodly fear of God and know them well the one from the other lest the one the fear that in it self indeed is ungodly get the place even the upper hand of that which truly is godly fear And remember the ungodly fear of God is by God himself counted an enemy to him and hurtful to his people and is therefore most plentifully forbidden in the word Gen. 1.15 Chap. 26.24 Chap. 46.3 Exo. 14.13 Chap. 20.20 Num. 14.9 Chap. 21.34 Isa. 41.10 13 14. Chap. 43.1 Chap. 44.2 8. Chap. 54.4 Jer. 30.10 Dan. 10.12.19 Joel 2.21 Hag. 2.5 Zech. 8.13 Secondly If thou wouldest grow in this Godly fear learn rightly to distinguish it from that fear in particular that is Godly but for a time Even from that fear that is wrought from the spirit as a spirit of bondage I say learn to distinguish this from that and also perfectly to know the bounds that God hath set to that fear that is wrought by the spirit as a spirit of bondage Lest instead of growing in the fear that is to abide with thy soul for ever thou be overrun again with that first fear which is to abide with thee but till the spirit of adoption come And that thou mayest not only distinguish them one from the other but also keep each in its due place and bounds consider in general of what hath already been said upon this head and in particular that the first fear is no more wrought by the holy spirit but by the Devil to distress thee and make thee to live not like a Son but a slave And for thy