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
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
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
indeed and of the spirit of adoption too For what Son is he that because the Father cannot break the relation nor suffer sin to do it that is betwixt the Father and him that will therefore say I will live altogether after my own lusts I will labour to be a continual grief to my Father Yet lest the Devil for some are not ignorant of his devices should get an advantage against some of the Sons to draw them away from the filial fear of their Father let me here to prevent such temptations present such with these following considerations 1. Though God cannot will not dissolve the relation which the spirit of adoption hath made 'twixt the Father and the sons for any sin that such do commit yet he can and often doth take away from them the comfort of their adoption not suffering Children while sinning to have the sweet and comfortable sense thereof on their hearts He can tell how to let sinners be round about them and sudden fear trouble them He can tell how to send darkness that they may not see and to let abundance of waters cover them Job 22.10 11. 2. God can tell how to hide his face from them and so to afflict them with that dispensation that it shall not be in the power of all the World to comfort them When he hideth his face who can behold him Job 23.8 9. chap. 34.29 3. God can tell how to make thee again to possess the sins that he long since hath pardoned and that in such wise that things shall be bitter to thy soul. Thou writest bitter things against me saies Job and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth By this also he made once David groan and pray against it as an unsupportable affliction Job 13.26 Psal. 25.7 4. God can lay thee in the dungion in chains and roll a stone upon thee he can make thy feet fast in the stocks and make the a gazing stock to men and Angels Lam. 3.55 ver 7 53. Job 13.27 5. God can tell how to cause to cease the sweet operations blessed influences of his grace in thy soul and to make those Gospel showers that formerly thou hast enjoyed to become now to thee nothing but powder and dust Psal. 51. Dut. 28.24 6. God can tell how to fight against thee with the sword of his mouth and to make thee a Butt for his Arrows and this is a dispensation most dreadful Rev. 2.16 Job 6.4 Psal. 38.2 3 4 5. 7. God can tell how so to bow thee down with guilt and distress that thou shalt in no wise be able to lift up thy head Psal. 40.12 8. God can tell how to break thy bones and to make thee by reason of that to live in continual anguish ofspirit yea he can send a fire into thy bones that shall burn and none shall quench it Psal. 51.8 Lam. 3.4 chap. 1.13 Psa. 102.3 Job 30.30 9. God can tell how to lay thee aside and make no use of thee as to any work for him in thy generation He can throw thee aside as a broken vessel Psal. 31.12 Ezek. 44.10 11 12 13. 10. God can tell how to kill thee and to take thee away from the earth for thy sins 1 Cor. 11.29 30 31 32. 11. God can tell how to plague thee in thy death with great plagues and of long continuance Psal. 73.45 Deut. 28. 12. What shall I say God can tell how to let Satan loose upon thee when thou liest a dying he can licence him then to assault thee with great temptations he can tell how to make thee possess the guilt of all thy unkindness towards him and that when thou as I said art going out of the World he can cause that thy life shall be in continual doubt before thee and not suffer thee to take any comfort day nor night yea he can drive thee even to a madness with his chastizements for thy folly and yet all shall be done by him to thee as a Father chastizeth his Son Deut. 28.65 66 67. 13. Further God can tell how to tumble thee from off thy death-bed in a cloud he can let thee die in the dark when thou art dying thou shalt not know whither thou art going to wit whether to Heaven or to Hell Yea he can tell how to let thee seem to come short of life both in thine own eyes and also in the eyes of them that behold thee Let us therefore fear saies the Apostle though not with slavish yet with filial fear lest a promise being lest us of entring into rest any of us should seem to come short of it Heb. 4.1 Now all this and much more can God do to HIS as a Father by his rod and Father by rebukes ah who know but those that are under them what terrours fears distresses and amazements God can bring his people into he can put them into a furnace a fire and no tongue can tell what so unsearchable and fearful are his Fatherly chastizements and yet never give them the spirit of bondage again to fear Therefore if thou art a Son take heed of sin lest all these things overtake thee and come upon thee Object But I have sinned and am under this high and mighty hand of God Ans. Then thou knowest what I say is true but yet take heed of hearkning unto such temptations as would make thee believe thou art out of Christ under the Law and a statte of damnation and take heed also that thou dost not conclude that the author of these fears is the Spirit of God come to thee again as a spirit of bondage to put thee into such FEARS lest unawares to thy self thou dost deify the Devil dishonour thy Father overthrow good doctrine and bring thy self into a double temptation Object But if God deals thus with a man how can he otherwise think but that he is a reprobate a Graceless Christless and Faithless one Answ. Nay but why dost thou tempt the Lord thy God why dost thou sin and provoke the eyes of his glory why doth the living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Lam. 3.39 He doth not willingly afflict nor grieve the Children of men but if thou sinnest though God should save thy soul as he will if thou art an adopted Son of God yet he will make thee know that sin is sin and his rod that he will chastize thee with if need be shall be made of scorpions read the whole book of the Lamentations read Job's and Davids complaints yea read what happenned to his Son his welbeloved and that when he did but stand in the room of sinners being in himself altogether innocent and then consider O thou sinning Child of God if it is any injustice in God yea if it be not necessary that thou shouldst be chastized for thy sin But then I say when the hand of God is upon thee how grievous soever it be take heed and beware that thou
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
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
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
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
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
better help in this matter know that God himself hath set bounds to this fear and has concluded that after the spirit of Adoption is come that other fear is wrought in thy heart by him no more Rom. 8.15 2 Tim. 1.7 Again before I leave this let me tell thee that if thou dost not well bestir thee in this matter this bondage fear to wit that which is like it though not wrought in thee by the Holy Ghost will by the management and subtilty of the Devil the author of it haunt disturb and make thee live uncomfortably and that while thou art an heir of God and his Kingdom This is that fear that the Apostle speaks of That makes men all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2.14.15 For though Christ will deliver thee indeed at last thou having imbraced him by faith yet thy life will be full of trouble and death though Jesus hath abolished it will be alwaies a living bug-bear to thee in all thy waies and thoughts to break thy peace and to make thee to draw thy loins heavily after him Thirdly wouldest thou grow in this Godly fear then as thou shouldest learn to distinguish of fears so thou shouldest make conscience of which to entertain and cherish If God would have his fear and it is called his fear by way of eminency that his fear may be before you that you sin not Exo. 20.20 Jer. 32.4 I say if God would have this his fear be with thee then thou shouldest make conscience of this and not so lightly give way to slavish fear as is Common for Christians to do There is utterly a fault among Christians about this thing That is they make not that conscience of resisting of slavish fear as they ought they rather cherish and entertain it and so weaken themselves and that fear that they ought to strengthen And this is the reason that we so often lie grabling under the black and amazing thoughts that are engendred in our hearts by unbelief For this fear nourisheth unbelief that is now it doth to wit if we give way to it after the spirit of Adoption is come readily closeth with all the fiery darts of the wicked But Christians are ready to do with this fear as the Horse does when the tines of the fork are set against his side even lean to it untill it entereth into his belly We lean naturally to this fear I mean after God has done good to our souls it is hard striving against it because it has even our sence and feeling of its side But I say If thou wouldest be a growing Christian growing I say in the fear that is Godly in the fear that is is alwaies so then make conscience of striving against the other and against all these things that would bring thee back to it Wherefore should I fear said David in the day of evil when the iniquities of my heels compasseth me about Psal. 49.5 What! not fear in the day of evil what not when the iniquities of thy heels compasseth thee about no not then saies hee that is not with that fear that would bring him again into bondage to the law for he had received the spirit of Adoption before Indeed if ever a Christian has ground to give way to slavish fear it is at these two times to wit in the day of evil and when the iniquitie of his heels compasseth him about But you see David would not then no not then give way thereto nor did hee see reason why he should Wherefore should I said he I wherefore indeed since now thou art become a Son of God through Christ and hast received the spirit of his son into thy heart crying father father Fourthly wouldest thou grow in this grace of Godly fear then grow in the knowledge of the new covenant for that is indeed the girdle of our reins and the strength of our souls Hear what Zacharias saith God saies he hath raised up to us an horn of salvation in the house of his servant David as he spake by the mouth of all the Holy Prophets which have been since the world began But what was it what was it that he spake Why That he would grant us that we being delivered from the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear without this slavish bondage fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the daies of our life But upon what is this princely fearless service of God grounded Why upon the holy covenant of God upon the oath that he swore unto Abraham Luk. 1.69 70 71 72 73 74 75. Now in this covenant is wrapped up all thy salvation in it is contained all thy desire and I am sure that then it containeth the compleat salvation of thy Soul and I say since this covenant is confirmed by promise by oath and by the blood of the son of God and that on purpose that thou mightest serve thy God without slavish fear Then the knowledge and faith of this covenant is of absolute necessity to bring us into this liberty and out of our slavish terrors and so consequently to cause us to grow in that son-like Godly fear which became even the Son of God himself and becomes all his Disciples to live in the growth and exercise of Fifthly wouldest thou grow in this Godly fear then labour even alwaies to keep thine evidences for Heaven and of thy salvation alive upon thy heart for he that loseth his evidences for heaven will hardly keep slavish fear out of his heart but he that hath the wisdom and grace to keep them alive and apparent to himself he will grow in this godly fear See how David words it from the ends of the earth saith he will I cry unto thee when my heart is over-whelmed lead me to the rock that is higher then I. For thou hast been a shelter to mee and a strong tower from the enemy I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever For thou God hast heard my prayer thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name Psal. 61.5 Mark a little David doth by these words in the first place suggest that some times to his thinking he was as far off of his God as the ends of the earth are asunder and that at such times he was subject to be over-whelmed afraid Secondly The way that he took at such times to help himself was 1. To cry to God to lead him again to Jesus Christ lead me to the rock that is higher than I. for indeed without faith in him and the renewing of that faith there can be no evidence for Heaven made to appear unto the soul. This therefore he prays for first 2. Then he puts that faith into exercise and that with respect to the time that was past and also of the time that was to come For the time past sayes hee thou hast been a shelter to me and a strong tower from the enemy And for the time to come he said
be content therewith they should earnestly covet more pray for more and use all lawful that is all the means of Gods appointing that they may get more There are as I have said already several degrees of this grace of fear and our wisdom is to grow in IT as in all other the graces of the Spirit The reasons why I have shewed you and also the way to grow therein but the least measure thereof will do as I said that is keep the soul from final apostacy There are as I have shewed you those that greatly fear the Lord that fear exceedingly and that fear him above many of their brethren but the small in this grace are saved as well as these that are great therein He will save them that fear him small and great This fear of the Lord is the pulse of the soul and as some pulses beat stronger some weaker so is this grace of fear in the soul. They that beat best are a signe of best life but they that beat worst shew that life is present As long as the pulse beats we count not that the man is dead though weak and this fear where it is preserves to everlasting life Pulses there are also that are intermitting to wit such as have their times for a little a little time to stop and beat again ' True these are dangerous pulses but yet too a signe of life This fear of God also is sometimes like this intermitting pulse there are times when it forbears to work and then it works again David had an intermitting pulse Peter had an intermitting pulse as also many other of the Saints of God I call that an intermitting pulse with reference to the fear we speak of when there is some obstruction by the workings of corruptions in the soul I say some obstruction from and hindrance of the continual motion of this fear of God yet none of these though they are various and some of them sings of weakness are signs of death but life I will put my fear in their heart and they shall not depart from me But you may say How shall I know that I fear God Ans. If I should say that desires true sincere desires to fear him is fear it self I should not say amiss Nehe. 1.11 For although a desire to be or do so and so makes not a man to be in temporal or natural things what he desires to be for a sick or poor or imprisoned man may desire to be well to be rich or to be at liberty and yet be as they are sick poor or in prison Yet in spirituals a mans desire to be good to believe to love to hope and fear God doth flow from the nature of grace it self I said before that in temporals a man could not be properly be said to be what he was not yet a man even in naturals or temporals shews his love to that thing that he desires whether it be health riches or liberty and in spirituals desires of from love to this or that grace of God sincere desires of it flow from the root of the grace it self Thy Servants that desire to fear thy name Nehemiah bore himself before God upon this That he desired to fear his name And hence again it is said concerning desires true desires The desire of a man is his kindness Prov. 19.22 For a man shews his heart his love his affections and his delights in his desires and since the grace of fear of God is a grace so pleasant in the sight of God and of so sanctifying a nature in the soul where it is a true sincere desire to be blessed with that grace must needs flow from some being of this grace in the soul already ' True desires are lower than higher acts of grace but God will not look over desires But now they DESIRE a better Country that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Mark they desire a Country and they shall have a City At this LOW place to wit sincere desires God will meet the soul and will tell him that he hath accepted of his desires that his desires are his kindness and flow from grace it self He will fulfil the desires of them that fear him Therefore desires are not rejected of God but they would if they did not flow from a principle of grace already in the soul therefore desires sincere desires to fear God flow from grace already in the soul. Therefore since thou fearest God and it is evident by thy desires ' that thou dost so do thou ART happy NOW in this thy fear and SHALT be happy for ever hereafter in the injoyment of that which God in another world hath laid up for them that fear him 3. Another encouragement for those that have this grace of fear is this This grace can make that man that in many other things is not capable of serving of God serve him better then those that have all without it Poor Christian man thou hast scarce been able to do any thing for God all thy daies but only to fear the Lord. Thou art no Preacher and so canst not do him service that way Thou art no rich man and so canst not do him service with outward substance Thou art no wise man and so canst not do any thing that way But here is thy mercy thou fearest God Though thou canst not preach thou canst fear God Though thou hast no bread to feed the belly nor fleece to cloth the back of the poor thou canst fear God O how blessed is the man that feareth the Lord because this duty of fearing of God is an act of the mind and may be done by the man that is destitute of all things but that holy and blessed mind Blessed therefore is that man for God hath not laid the comfort of his people in the doing of external duties nor the salvation of their souls but in believing loving and fearing God Neither hath he laid these things in actions done in their health nor in the due mannagement of their most excellent parts but in the receiving of Christ and fear of God The which good Christian thou maiest do and do acceptably even though thou shouldest lie bed-rid all thy daies thou maiest also be sick and believe be sick and love be sick and fear God and so be a blessed man And here the POOR Christian hath some thing to answer them that reproach him for his ignoble pedigree and shortness of the glory of the wisdom of the World ' True may that man say I was taken out of the Dunghil I was born in a base and low estate But I fear God I have no worldly greatness nor excellency of natural parts but I fear God When Obadiah met with Elijah he gave him no worldly and fantastical complement nor did he glory in his promotion by Ahab the King of Israel but gravely and after a gracious manner said
all the world to wit the secret of his covenant and of thy concern therein The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Psal. 25.14 This then further confirmeth what was said but just above his secret shall be with them and his Covenant shall be shewed unto them His secret to wit that which hath been kept hid from ages and generations that which he manifesteth only to the Saints or holy Ones that is his Christ for he it is that is hid in God and that no man can know but he to whom the Father shall reveal him Matth. 11.27 But oh what is there wraped up in this Christ this secret of God! why all treasures of Life of Heaven and Happiness In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge And in him dwels the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2. This also is that hidden one that is so full of grace to save sinners and so full of truth and faithfulness to keep promise and covenant with them that their eyes must needs convey even by every glance they make upon his Person Offices and Relation such affecting ravishments to the heart that it would please them that see him even to be killed with that fight This secret of the Lord shall be nay IS with them that fear him for he dwelleth in their heart by faith And he will shew them his Covenant That is the Covenant that is confirmed of God in Christ that everlasting and eternal covenant and shew him too that he himself is wrapped up therein as in a bundle of life with the Lord his God These are the thoughts purposes and promises of God to them that fear him Fourthly Dost thou fear the Lord His eye is alwaies over thee for good to keep thee from all evil Behold the eyes of the Lord is upon them that fear him on them that hope in his mercy to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine Psal. 33.18 19. His eye is upon them that is to watch over them for good He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps His eyes are upon them and he will keep them as a Shepherd doth his Sheep that is from those wolves that seek to devour them and to swallow them up in death His eyes are upon them for they are the Object of his delight The rarities of the world in whom saith he is all my delight His eye is upon them as I said before To teach and instruct them I will teach thee and instruct thee in the way that thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye Psal. 32.8 2 Chron. 7.15.16 The eye of the Lord therefore is upon them not to take advantage of them to destroy them for their sins but to guide to help and deliver them from death from that death that would feed upon their souls To deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine Take Death here for Death spiritual and Death eternal and the Famine here not for that that is for want of bread and water but for that which comes on many for want of the word of the Lord Revel 20.14 Amos 8.11 12. and then the sence is this The man that feareth the Lord shall neither die spiritually nor eternally for God will keep him with his eye from all those things that would in such a manner kill him Again should there be a famine of the word should there want both the word and them that preach it in the place that thou dost dwell yet Bread shall be given thee and thy water shall be sure thou shalt not die of the famine because thou fearest God I say that man shall not Behold he shall not because he feareth God and this the next head doth yet more fully manifest Fifthly Dost thou fear God fear him for this advantage more and more O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him The young Lions do want and and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord that fear him shall want no good thing Psal. 34.9 10. Not any thing that God sees good for them shall those men want that fear the Lord. If health will do them good If sickness will do them good If riches will do them good If poverty will do them good If life will do them good If death will do them good then they shall not want them neither shall any of these come nigh them if they will not do them good The Lions the wicked people of the world that fear not God are not made sharers in this great priviledge all things fall out to them contrary because they fear not God In the midst of their sufficiency they are in want of that good that God puts into the worst things that the man that feareth God doth meet with in the world Sixthly Dost thou fear God He hath given charge to the armies of Heaven to look after take charge of to camp about and to deliver thee The Angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him and delivereth them Psal. 34.7 This also is a priviledge intailed to them that in all generations fear the Lord. The Angel the heavenly creatures have it in commission to take the charge of them that fear the Lord one of them is able to slay of men in one night 185000. These are they that camped about Elisha like horses of fire and chariots of fire when the enemy came to destroy him They also helped Hezekiah against the band of the enemy because he feared God 2 King 6.17 Isa. 37.36 Jer. 26.19 The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that is left the enemy should set upon them on any side but let him come where he will behind or before on this side or that the Angel of the Lord is there to defend them The Angel It may be spoken in the singular number perhaps to shew that every one that feareth God hath his Angel to attend on him and serve him When the Church in the Acts was told that Peter stood at the door and knocked at first they counted the messenger mad but when she did constantly affirm it they said It is his Angel Act. 12.13 14 15. So Christ saith of the Children that came unto him Their Angels behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven Their Angels that is those of them that feared God had each of them his Angel who had a charge from God to keep them in their way We little think of this yet this is the priviledge of them that fear the Lord yea if need be they shall all come down to help them and to deliver them rather then contrary to the mind of their God they should by any be abused Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1. last But how do they deliver them for so saies
the text The Angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him and delivereth them Answer The way that they take to deliver them that fear the Lord is sometimes by smiting of their enemies with blindness that they may not find them And so they served the enemies of Lot Gen. 19.10.11 Sometimes by smiting of them with deadly fear and so they served those that laid feige against Samaria 2 King 7.6 And sometimes by smiting of them even with Death it self and thus they served Herod after he had attempted to kill the Apostle James and also sought to vex certain others of the Church Act. 12. These Angels that are servants to them that fear the Lord are them that will if God doth bid them revenge the qarrell of his servants upon the stoutest monarch on earth This therefore is a glorious priviledge of the men that fear the Lord. Alas they are some of them so mean that they are counted not worth taking notice of by the high ones of the World but their betters do respect them the Angels of God count not themselves to good to attend on them and camp about them to deliver them This then is the man that hath his Angel to wait upon him even he that feareth God Seventhly Dost thou fear the Lord Salvation is nigh unto thee Surely his Salvation is nigh them that fear him that glory may dwell in their Land Psal 85.9 This is another priviledge for them that fear the Lord. I told you before that the Angel of the Lord did incamp about them but now he saith his Salvation is also nigh them the which although it doth not altogether exclude the conduct of Angels but include them yet it looketh further Surely his Salvation his saving pardoning grace is nigh them that fear him That is to save them out of the hand of their spiritual enemys The Devil and Sin and Death do alwaies wait even to devour them that fear the Lord but to deliver them from these his salvation doth attend them So then if Satan tempts here is their salvation nigh if sin by breaking forth beguiles them here is Gods salvation nigh them yea if death it self shall suddenly seize upon them why here is their Gods salvation nigh them I have seen that great mens little children must go no whither without their nurses be at hand If they go abroad their nurses must go with them if they go to meals their nurses must go with them If they go to bed their nurses must go with them yea and if they fall a sleep their nurses must stand by them O my brethren those little ones that fear the Lord they are the children of the highest therefore they shall not walk alone be at their spiritual meats alone go to their sick beds or to their graves alone the salvation of their God is nigh them to deliver them from the evil This is then the glory that dwels in the Land of them that fear the Lord. Eightly Dost thou fear the Lord Heathen yet again The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on them that fear him and his righteousness unto childrens children Ps. 103.17 This still confirms what was last asserted that is that his salvation is nigh unto them His salvation that is pardoning mercy that is nigh them But mind it there he saies tis-nigh them but here it is upon them His mercy is upon them it covereth them all over it compasseth them about as with a Shield Therefore they are said in an over place to be clothed with salvation and covered with the robe of righteousness The mercy of the Lord is VPON them that is as I said to shelter and defend them The mercy the pardoning preserving mercy the mercy of the Lord is upon them who is he then that can condemn them Rom. 8. But there yee is more behinde The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on them T was designed for them before the world was and shall be upon them when the world it self is ended From everlasting to everlasting it is on them that fear him This from everlasting to everlasting is that by which in another place the eternity of God himself is declared From everlasting to everlasting thou art God Psal. 90.2 The meaning then may be this That so long as God hath his being so long shall the man that feareth him find mercy at his hand According to that of Moses The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting Arms and he shall thrust out the Enemy before thee and say destroy them Deut. 33.27 Child of God thou that fearest God here is mercy nigh thee mercy enough everlasting mercy upon thee This is long-lived mercy It will live longer then thy sin it will live longer then temptation it will live longer then thy sorrows it will live longer then thy persecutors It is mercy from everlasting to contrive thy salvation and mercy TO everlasting to weather it out with all thy adversaries Now what can hell and death do to him that hath this mercy of God upon him And this hath the man that feareth the Lord. Take that other blessed word and O thou man that fearest the Lord hang it like a Chain of Gold about thy neck As the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his mercy towards them that fear him Psal. 103.13.18 If mercy as big as high and as good as Heaven it self will be a priviledge the man that feareth God shall have a priviledge Ninthly Dost thou fear God Like as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pittieth them that fear him Psal. 103.13 The Lord pittieth them that fear him That is condoleth and is affected feeleth and sympathizeth with them in all their afflictions It is a great matter for a poor man to be in this manner in the affections of the great and mighty but for a poor sinner to be thus in the heart and affections of God and they that fear him are so this is astonishing to consider In his love and in his pity be redeemed them In his love and in his pity In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and bare them and carried them all the day of old Isa. 63.9 I say in that he is said to pity them it is as much as to say he condoleth feeleth and sympathizeth with them in all their afflictions and temptations So that this is the happiness of him that feareth God he has a God to pity him and to be touched with all his miseries 'T is said in Judges His soul was grieved for the miseries of Israel Judg. 10.16 and in the Hebrews He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities and can succour them that are tempted Chap. 4.15 Chap. 2.17.18 But further let us take notice of the comparison As a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them