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
to judge who feareth the Lord they are those that learn and that stand in awe of the word those that have by the holy word of God the very form of it self engraven upon the face of their souls they fear God Rom. 6.17 But on the contrary those that do not love good doctrine that give not place to the wholsom truths of the God of Heaven revealed in his testament to take place in their souls but rather despise it and the true professors of it they fear not God For as I said before this fear of God it flows from a sound impression that the word of God maketh upon the soul and therefore 4. This godly fear it floweth from faith for where the word maketh sound impression on the soul by that impression is faith begotten whence also this fear doth flow Therefore right hearing of the word is called the hearing of faith Galla. 3. verse 2. Hence it is said again By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his house by the which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith Heb. 11.7 The word the warning that he had from God of things not seen as yet wrought through faith therein that fear of God in his heart that made him prepare against unseen dangers and that he might be an inheritour of unseen happiness Where therefore there is not faith in the word of God there can be none of this fear and where the word doth not make sound impression on the soul there can be none of this faith So that as vices hang together have the links of a chain dependance one upon another even so the graces of the spirit also are the fruits of one another and have such dependance on each other that the one cannot be without the other No faith no fear of God Devils faith Devils fear Saints faith Saints fear 5. This godly fear it also floweth from sound repentance for and from sin godly sorrow worketh repentance godly repentance produceth this fear For behold saies Paul This self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you what clearing of your selves yea what indignations yea what fear 2 Cor. 7.10 11. Repentance is the effect of sorrow and sorrow is the effect of smart and smart the effect of faith now therefore fear must needs be an effect of and flow from repentance Sinner do not deceive thy self if thou art a stranger to sound repentance which standeth in sorrow and shame before God for sin as also in turning from it thou hast no fear of God I mean none of this godly fear for that is the fruits of and floweth from sound repentance 6. This godly fear it also flowes from a sense of the love and kindness of God to the soul. Where there is no sense or hope of the kindness and mercy of God by Jesus Christ there can be none of this fear but rather wrath and despair which produceth that fear that is either devilish or else that which is only wrought in us by the spirit as a spirit of bondage but these we do not discourse of now wherefore the godly fear that now I treat of it floweth from some sense or hope of mercy from God by Jesus Christ. If thou Lord saies David shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who should stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal. 130.3 4. There is mercy with thee This the soul has sense of an hope in and therefore feareth God Indeed nothing can lay a stronger obligation upon the heart to fear God than sense of or hope in mercy See Jer. 33.8 9. This begetteth true tenderness of heart true godly softness of spirit this truly endeareth the affections to God and in this true tenderness softness and indearedness of affection to God lieth the very essence of this fear of the Lord as is manifest by the fruit of this fear when we shall come to speak of it 7. This fear of God flows from a due consideration of the judgments of God that are to be executed in the world yea upon professors too yea further Gods people themselves I mean as to themselves have such a consideration of his judgments towards them as to produce this godly fear When Gods judgments are in the earth they effect the fear of his name in the hearts of his own people My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am said David afraid of thy judgments Psal. 119.120 When God smote Vzza David was afraid of God that day Chron. 13.12 Indeed many regard not the works of the Lord nor take notice of the opperation of his hands and such cannot fear the Lord. But others observe and regard and wisely consider of his doings and of the judgments that he executeth and that makes them fear the Lord. This God himself suggesteth as a means to make us fear him Hence he commands the false Prophet to be stoned That all Israel might hear and fear Hence also he commanded that the rebellious Son should be stoned That all Israel might hear and fear False Witness was also to have the same judgment of God executed upon him That all Israel might hear and fear The man also that did ought presumptuously was to die That all Israel might hear and fear Deut. 13.11 Chap. 21.21 Chap. 17.13 Chap. 19.20 There is a natural tendency in judgments as judgments to beget a fear of God in the heart of man as man but when the observation of the judgments of God is made by him that hath a principle of true grace in his soul that observation being made I say by a gracious heart produceth a fear of God in the soul of its own nature to wit a gracious or godly fear of God 8. This godly fear it also flows from a godly remembrance of our former distresses when we were distressed with our first fears for though our first fears were begotten in us by the spirits working as a spirit of bondage and so are not alwaies to be entertained as such yet even that fear leaveth in us and upon our spirits that sense and relish of our first awakenings and dread as also occasioneth and produceth this godly fear Take heed saies God and keep thy soul deligently lest thou forget the things that thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the daies of thy life but teach them thy Sons and thy Sons Sons But what was the things that their eyes had seen that would so damnify them should they be forgotten The answer is The things which they saw at Horeb to wit the Fire the Smoke the Darkness the Earthquake their first awakenings by the Law by which they were brought into a bondage fear yea they was to remember this especially Especially saith he the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in
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
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
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
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
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
Prov. 19.23 It tendeth to life even as of nature every thing hath a tendency to that which is most natural to it self the fire to burn the water to wet the stone to fall the sun to shine sin to defile c. Thus I say the fear of the Lord tendeth to life the nature of it is to put the soul upon fearing of God of closing with Christ and of walking humbly before him It is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death What are the snares of death but sin the wiles of the Devil c. From which the fear of God hath a natural tendence to deliver thee and to keep thee in the way that tendeth to life 5. This fear of the Lord it is called The instruction of Wisdom Prov. 15.33 You heard before that it is the beginning of wisdom but here you find it called the instuction of wisdom for indeed it is not only that which makes a man begin to be wise but to improve and make advantage of all those helps and means to life which God hath afforded to that end That is both to his own and his neighbours salvation also It is the instruction of wisdom it will make a man capable to use all his natural parts all his natural wisdom to Gods glory and his own good There lieth even in many natural things THAT into which if we were instructed would yield us a great deal of help to the understanding of spiritual matters For in wisdom has God made all the World nor is there any thing that God has made whether in Heaven above or on Earth beneath but there is couched some spiritual mystery in it The which men matter more than they do the ground they tread on or than the stones that are under their feet and all because they have not this fear of the Lord for had they that that would teach them to think even from that knowledg of God that hath by the fear of him put into their hearts that he being so great and so good there must needs be abundance of wisdom in the things he hath made that fear would also indeavour to find out what that wisdom is yea and give to the soul the instruction of it In that it is called the instruction of wisdom it intimates to us that its tendency is to keep all even and in good order in the soul. When Job perceived that his friends did not deal with him in an even spirit and orderly manner he said that they forsook the fear of the Almighty Job 6.14 For this fear keeps a man even in his words and judgment of things It may be compared to the ballace of the Ship and to the poys of the ballance of the Scales it keeps all even and also makes us steer our course right with respect to the things that pertain to God and man What this fear of God flows from I come now to the second thing to wit to shew you what this fear of God flows from First This fear this grace of fear this son-like fear of God It flows from the distinguishing love of God to his elect I will be their God saith he and I will put my fear in their hearts None other obtain it but those that are inclosed and bound up in that bundle Therefore they in the same place are said to be those that are wrapt up in the eternal or everlasting covenant of God and so designed to be the people that should be blessed with this fear I will make an everlasting covenant with them saith God that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Jer. 32.40 This covenant declares unto men that God hath in his heart distinguishing love for some of the children of men for he saith he will be their God that he will not leave them nor yet suffer them to depart to wit finally from him Into these mens hearts he doth put his fear this blessed grace and this rare and effectual sign of his love and of their eternal salvation 2. This fear flows from a new heart This fear is not in men by nature the fear of Devils they may have as also an ungodly fear of God but this fear is not in any but where there dwelleth a new heart another fruit and effect of this everlasting covenant and of this distinguishing love of God An new heart also will I give them a new heart what a one is that why the same Prophet saith in another place A heart to fear me a circumcised one a sanctified one Jer. 32.39 Ezek. 11.19 Chap. 36.26 So then until a man receive an heart from God an heart from Heaven a new heart he has not this fear of God in him New wine must not be put into old bottles lest the one to wit the bottles mar the wine or the wine the bottles but new wine must have new bottles and then both shall be preserved Matth. 9.17 This fear of God must not be cannot be found in old hearts old hearts are not bottles out of which this fear of God proceeds but 't is from an honest and good heart from a new one from such an one that is also an effect of the everlasting covenant and love of God to men I will give them an heart to fear me there must in all actions be heart and without heart no action is good nor can there be faith love or fear from every kind of heart these must flow from such an one whose nature is to produce and bring forth such fruit Do men gather Grapes of thorns or Figs of thistles so from a corrupt heart there cannot proceed such fruit as the fear of God as to believe in God and love God Luke 6.43 44 45. The heart naturally is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked how then should there flow from such an one the fear of God it cannot be He therefore that hath not received at the hands of God a new heart cannot fear the Lord. 3. This fear of God it flows from an impression a sound impression that the word of God maketh on our souls for without an impress of the word there is no fear of God Hence it is said that God gave to Israel good laws statutes and judgements that they might learn them and in learning them learn to fear the Lord their God Therefore saith God in another place Gather the people together men women and children and the stranger that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the Lord your God Deut. 6.1 2. Chap. 31.12 For as a man drinketh good doctrine into his soul so he feareth God If he drinks it in much he feareth him greatly if he drinketh it in but little he feareth him but little if he drinketh it not in at all he feareth him not at all This therefore teacheth us how
that fear before him Fear therefore the Spirit of the fear of the Lord is a grace that greatly beautifies a Christian his words and all his waies Wherefore now let the FEAR of the Lord be upon you take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts I come now to make some use and application of this doctrine The use of this Doctrine Having proceeded thus far about this Doctrine of the fear of God I now come to make some Use and Application of the whole and my first use shall be a use of Examination Is this fear of God such an excellent thing Is it attended with so many blessed priviledges then this should put us ever soul of us upon a diligent examination of our selves to wit whether this grace be in us or no for if it be then thou art one of these blessed ones to whom belong these glorious priviledges for thou hast an intrest in every of them but if it shall appear that this grace is not in thee then thy state is fearfully miserable as hath partly been manifest already and will further be seen in what comes after Now the better to help thee to consider and not to miss in finding out what thou art in thy self examination I will speak to this 1. In general 2. In particular 1. In general 1. No man brings this grace into the world with him Every one by nature is destitute of it for naturally none fear God there is NO fear of God none of this grace of fear before their eyes they do not so much as know what it is for this fear flows as was shewed before from a new heart faith repentance and the like of which new heart faith and Repentance if thou beest void thou art also void of this godly fear Men must have a mighty change of heart and life or else they are strangers to this fear of God alas how ignorant are the most of this yea and some are not afraid to say they are not changed nor desire so to be can these fear God can these be possessed with this grace of fear No Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God Psal. 36.1 Rom. 3.18 Psal. 55.19 Wherefore sinner consider whoever thou art that art destitute of this fear of God thou art void of all other graces for this fear as also I have shewed floweth from the whole stock of grace where it is There is not one of the graces of the Spirit but this fear is in the bowels of it yea as I may say this fear is the flower and beauty of every grace neither is there any thing let it look as much like grace as it will that will be counted so indeed if the fruit thereof be not this fear of God wherefore I say again consider well of of this matter for as thou shall be found with reference to this grace so shall thy judgment be I have but briefly treated of this grace yet have indeavoured with words as fit as I could to display it in its colours before thy face first by shewing you what this fear of God is then what it flows from as also what doth flow from it To which as was said before I have added several priviledges that are annexed to this fear that by all if it may be thou mayest see it if thou hast it and thy self without it if thou hast it not Wherefore I refer thee thither again for information in this thing Or if thou art loth to give the Book a second reading but wilt go on to the end now thou art gotten hither Then secondly and particularly I conclude with these several propositions concerning those that fear not God 1. That man that is proud and of an high and lofty mind fears not God This is plain from the Exhortation Be not high minded but fear Rom. 11.20 Here you see that an high mind and the fear of God are set in direct opposition the one to the other and there is in them closely concluded by the Apostle that where indeed the one is there cannot be the other where there is an high mind there is not the fear of God and where there is the fear of God the mind is not high but lowly Can a man at the same time be approved man and fear God too why then is it said God beholdeth every one that is proud and abases him and again he beholds the proud afar off He therefore that is proud of his person of his Riches of his Office of his Parts and the like feareth not God It is also manifest further for God resisteth the proud which he would not do if he feared him but in that he sets him at such a distance from him in that he testifies that he will abase him and resist him it is evident that he is not the man that hath this grace of fear for that man as I have shewed you is the man of Gods delight the object of his pleasure Psal. 138.6 Jam. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 Mal. 4.1 2. The covetous man feareth not God This also is plain from the word because it setteth covetousness and the fear of God in direct opposition Men that fear God are said to hate covetousness Exod. 18.21 Besides the covetous man is called an Idolater and is said to have no part in the Kingdom of Christ and of God And again The wicked boasteth himself of his hearts desire and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abhoreth Ezek. 33.31 Ephes. 5.4 5. Psal. 10.3 Hearken to this you that hunt the world to take it you that care not how you get so you get the world Also you that make even religion your stalking-horse to get the world You fear not God And what will you do whose hearts go after your covetousness you who are led by covetousness up and down as it were by the Nose sometimes to swear to lie to couzen and cheat and defraud when you can get the advantage to do it You are far very far from the fear of God Ye adulterers and adulteresses for so the covetous are called Know ye not that the friendship of this world is the enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world is the enemy of God James 4. ver 4. 3. The riotous eaters of flesh have not the fear of God For this is done without fear Jud. 12. Gluttony is a sin little taken notice of and as little repented of by those that use it but yet it is odious in the sight of God and the practise of it a demonstration of the want of his fear in the heart yea so odious is it that God forbids that his people should so much as company with such Be not saith he among wine bibers among rioters eaters of flesh Prov. 23.20 And he further tels us that they that are such are spots and blemishes to those that keep them company for
I will abide in thy tabernacle that is in thy Christ by faith and in thy way of worship by love for ever And observe it he makes the believing remembrance of his first evidences for Heaven the ground of this his cry and faith for thou sayes he O God hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name Thou hast made me meet to be partaker of the mercy of thy chosen and hast put me under the blessing of goodness wherewith thou hast blessed those that fear thee Thus you see how David in his distresses musters up his prayers faith and evidences for eternal life that he might deliver himself from being over-whelmed that is with slavish fear and that he might also abound in that Son-like fear of his fellow brethren that is not only comely with respect to our profession but profitable to our souls Sixthly Wouldest thou grow in this fear of God then set before thine eyes the being and majesty of God For that both begetteth maintaineth and increaseth this fear And hence it is called the fear of God that is an holy and awful dread and reverence of his majestie For the fear of God is to stand in aw of him but how can that be done if we do not set him before us And again if we would fear him more we must abide more in the sence and faith of his glorious majestie Hence this fear and Gods name is so often put together as fear God fear the Lord fear thy God do this in the fear of the Lord and thou shalt fear thy God I am the Lord. For these words I am the Lord thy God and the like are on purpose put in not only to shew us who we should fear but also to beget maintain and increase in us that fear that is due from us to that glorious and fearful name the Lord our God Deut. 28.58 Seventhly Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear then keep alwaies close to thy conscience the authority of the word Fear the commmandment as the commandment of a God both mighty and glorious and as the commandment of a father both loving and pittiful let this commandment I say be alwaies with thine eye with thine ear and with thine heart For then thou wilt be taught not only to fear but to abound in the fear of the Lord. Every grace is nourished by the word and without it there is no thrist in the soul Pro. 13.13 Chap. 4.20 21 22. Deut. 6.1.2 Eightly Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear Then be much in the faith of the promise of the promise that maketh over to thy soul an interest in God by Christ and of all good things The promise naturally tendeth to increase in us the fear of the Lord because this fear it grows by goodness and mercie They shall fear the Lord and his goodness now this goodness and mercie of God it is wrapped up in and made over to us by promise for God gave it to Abraham by promise Therefore the faith and hope of the promise causeth this fear to grow in the soul. Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2. Cor. 7.1 perfect holiness in the fear of God therefore that fear by the promise must needs grow mighty for by with and in it you see holiness is perfected Ninthly Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear Then remember the Judgments of God that have or shall certainty over take those professours that have either been down-right hypocrites or else unwatchful Christians For both these sorts partake of the Judgments of God the one to wit the true Christian for his unwatchfulness for his correction the other to wit the hypocrite for his hypocrisie to his destruction This is a way to make thee stand in aw and to make thee tremble and grow in the grace of fear before thy God Judgments you may say what Judgments Answ. Time will fail me here to tell thee of the Judgments that sometimes overtake Gods people and that alwaies certainly overtake the hypocrite for his transgressions For those that attend Gods people I would have thee look back to the place in this Book where they are particularly touched upon And for those that attend the hypocrite in general they are these 1. Blindness of heart in this world 2. The death of their hope at the day of their death 3. And the damnation of their souls at the day of Judgment Matth. 23.15 16 17 18 19. Job 8.13 Chap. 11.20 Chap. 18.14 Chap. 20.4 5 6 7. Matth. 23.33 Chap. 24.51 Luk 20.47 The godly consideration of these things tend to make men grow in the fear of God Tenthly Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear Then study the EXCELLENCIES of the grace of fear and what profit it yieldeth to to them that have it and labor to get thy heart into the love both of the exercise of the grace it self and also of the fruit it yieldeth For a man hardly grows in the encrease of any grace until his heart is united to it and until it is made lovely in his eyes Psal. 119.119 120. Now the excellencies of this grace of fear have also been discoursed of in this Book before where by reading thou shalt find the fruit it bears and the promises that are anexed to it which because they are many I refer thee also thither for thy instruction Eleventhly Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear Then remember what a world of priviledges do belong to them that fear the Lord As also I have hinted namely that such shall not be hurt shall want no good thing shall be guarded by Angels and have a special licence though in never so dreadful plight to trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon their God 12. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear Then be much in prayer to God for abundance of the encrease thereof To fear God is that which is according to his will and if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Pray therefore that God will unite thy heart to fear his name this is the way to grow in the grace of fear Lastly Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear Then devote thy self to it Psal. 119.38 Devote my self to it you will say how is that I answer why give thy selfe to it addict thy self to it Solace thy self in the contemplation of God and of a reverence of his name and word and worship Then wilt thou fear and grow in this grace of fear What things they are that have a tendency in them to hinder the growth of the fear of God in our hearts And that I may yet be helpful to thee Reader I shall now give thee caution of those things that will if way be given to them hinder thy growth in this fear of God the which because they are very hurtful to the people of
in the mystical world man It is not placed in the head as knowledge is nor in the mouth as utterance is but in the heart the seat of all I will put my fear in their heart If a King will keep a Town secure to himself let him be sure to man sufficiently the main FORT thereof If he have twenty thousand men well armed if they lie scattered here and there the Town may be taken for all that but if the main fort be well man'd then the Town is more secure What if a man had all the parts yea all the arts of Men and Angels that will not keep the heart to God But when the heart this principal fort is possessed with the fear of God then he is safe but not else 2. As the heart in general so the will in special That chief and great faculty of the soul is the principal that is acted by this fear The will which way that goes all goes If it be to Heaven or Hell Now the will I say is that main faculty that is governed by this fear that doth possess the soul therefore all is like to go well with it This Samuel insinuateth where he saith If ye WILL fear the Lord. Fearing of God is a voluntary act of the will and that being so the soul is kept from rebellion against the Commandment because by the will where this fear of God is placed and which IT governeth is led all the rest of the powers of the soul 1 Sam 12.14 In this will then is this fear of God placed that this grace may the better be able to govern the soul and so by consequence the whole man for as I said before look what way the will goes look what the will does thither goes and that does the whole man See Psal. 110.3 Man when his will is alienate from God is reckoned rebellious throughout Joh. 5.40 and that not without ground for the will is the principal faculty of the soul as to obedience and therefore things done without the will are as if they were not done at all The spirit is willing If ye be willing she hath done what she could and the like by these and such like sayings the goodness of the heart and action is judged as to the subjective part thereof Now this fear that we have been speaking of is placed in the soul and so consequently in the will that the man may thereby the better be kept from final and damnable apostacy 3. This fear as I may say even above every other grace is Gods well-wisher and hence it is called as I also have shewed you HIS fear As he also saies in the Text mentioned above I will put MY fear in their heart These words HIS and MY they are intimate and familiar expressions bespeaking not only great favor to man but a very great trust put in him As who should say this fear is my special friend it will subject and bow the soul and the several faculties thereof to my pleasure it is my great favorite and subdueth sinners to my pleasure you shall rarely find faith or repentance or parts go under such familiar characters as this blessed fear of the Lord doth Of all the counsellors and mighties that David had Hushi only was called the Kings Friend 2 Sam. 15.37 Ch. 16.16 So of all the graces of the spirit this of the fear of God goes mostly if not alwaies by the title of my fear Gods fear his fear c. I told you before if the King will keep a Town the main fort therein must be sufficiently man'd and now I will add that if he have not to govern those men some trusty and special friend such as Hushi was to David he may find it lost when it should stand him in greatest stead If a soul should be possessed with all things possible yet if this fear of God be wanting all other things will give place in time of rebellion and the soul shall be found in and under the conduct of Hell when it should stand up for God and his truth in the World This fear of God it is Gods special friend and therefore it has given unto it the chief seat of the heart the will that the whole man may now be and also be kept hereafter in the subjection and obedience of the Gospel For 4. This grace of fear is the softest and most tender of Gods honour of any other grace It is that tender sensible and trembling grace that keepeth the soul upon its continual watch To keep a good watch is you know a wonderful safety to a place that is in continual danger because of the enemy Why this is the grace that setteth the watch and that keepeth the watchman awake Song 3.7 8. A man cannot watch as he should if he be destitute of fear let him be confident and he sleeps he unadvisedly lets into the garison those that should not come there Israels fault when they came to Canaan was that they made a Covenant with the inhabitants of the Land to wit the Gibeonites without asking counsel of God But would they have done so think you if at the same time the fear of God had had its full play in the soul in the Army no they at that time forgat to fear The grace of fear had not at that time its full stroke and sway among them 5. This grace of fear is that which as I may so say first affects the hearts of Saints with Judgments after we have sinned and so is as a begining grace to bring again that to rights that by sin is put out of frame O it is a precious grace of God I know what I say in this matter and also where I had been long ago through the power of my lusts and the wiles of the Devil had it not been for the fear of God But Secondly Another encouragement for those that are blessed with this blessed grace of fear is this This fear failes not to do this work for the soul if there in truth be it never so small in measure A little of this leven levens the whole lump ' True a little will not do or help the soul to do those worthy exploits in the heart or life as well as a bigger measure thereof nor indeed can a little of any grace do that which a bigger measure will but a little will preserve the soul from final apostacy and deliver it into the armes of the Son of God at the final Judgment Wherefore when he saith I will put my fear in their heart he saies not I will put so much of it there such a quantity or such a degree but I will put my ear there I speak not this in the least to tempt the godly man to be content with the least degree of the fear of God in his heart ' True men should be glad that God hath put even the least degree of this grace into their souls but they should not
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
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