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
enmity one with the other So is sin and the commandment Therefore if a man delighteth himself in the commandment he hateth that which is opposite which is sin how much more when he greatly delighteth in the commandment Now this holy fear of God it taketh the heart and affections from sin and setteth them upon the holy Commandment Therefore such a man is rightly esteemed blessed For no profession makes a man blessed but that which is accompanied with an alienation of the heart from sin nor doth any thing do that when this holy fear is wanting It is from this fear then that love to and delight in the holy commandment floweth and so by that the sinner is kept from those fals and dangers of miscarying that other professors are so subject to He greatly delights in the Commandment Lastly There floweth from this fear of God enlargement of heart Then thou shalt see and flow together and thine heart shall fear and be enlarged Isa 60.5 Thine heart shall fear and be enlarged enlarged to God-ward enlarged to his waies enlarged to his holy People enlarge in love after the salvation of others Indeed when this fear of God is wanting though the profession be never so famous the heart is shut up and straitned and nothing is done in that princely free spirit which is called the spirit of the fear of the Lord Psal. 51.12 Isa. 11.2 But with grudging legally or with desire of vain glory This enlargedness of heart is wanting for that flows from this fear of the Lord. Thus have I shewed you both what this fear of God is what it flows from and also what doth flow from it I come now to shew you some of the priviledges of those that thus do fear the Lord. Of the priviledges of them that thus do fear the Lord. Having thus briefly handled in particular thus far this fear of God I shall now shew you certain of the excellent priviledges of them that fear the Lord not that they are not priviledges that have been already mentioned for what greater priviledges then to have this fear producing in the soul such excellent things so necessary for us for good both with reference to this world and that which is to come but because those fourteen above named do rather flow from this grace of fear where it is then from a promise to the person that hath it therefore I have chosen rather to discourse of them as the fruits and effects of fear then otherwise Now besides all these there is intailed by promise to the man that hath this fear many other blessed priviledges the which I shall now in a brief way lay open unto you First Then That man that feareth the Lord has a grant and a licence to trust in the Lord with an affirmation that he is their help and their shield Ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord he is their Helper and Shield Psal. 115.11 Now what a priviledg is this An exhortation in general to sinners as sinners to trust in him is a priviledge great and glorious but for a man to be singled out from his Neighbours for a man to be spoken to from Heaven as it were by name and to be told that God hath given him a licence a special and peculiar grant to trust in him this is abundantly more and yet this is the grant that God hath given that man He hath I say a licence to do it a licence indicted by the Holy Ghost and left upon record for those to be born that shall fear the Lord to trust in him And not only so but as the text affirmeth he is their Help and their Shield Their help under all their weaknesses and infirmities and a Shield to defend them against all the assaults of the Devil and this World So then the man that feareth the Lord is licenced to make the Lord his stay and God of his Salvation the succour and deliverer of his soul. He will defend him because his fear is in his heart O ye Servants of the Lord ye that fear him live in the comfort of this boldly make use of it when you are in straits and put your trust under the shaddow of his wings for indeed he would have you do so because you do fear the Lord. Secondly God hath also proclaimed concerning the man that feareth the Lord That he will also be his teacher and guide in the way that he shall chuse and hath moreover promised concerning such that their soul shall dwell at ease What man is he that feareth the Lord saies David him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse Psal. 25.21 Now to be taught of God what like it yea what like to be taught in the way that thou shalt chuse Thou hast chosen the way to life Gods way but perhaps they ignorance about it is so great and those that tempt thee to turn asid so many and so subtil that they seem to out wit thee and confound thee with their guile Well but the Lord whom thou fearest will not leave thee to thy ignorance nor yet to thine enemies power or subtilty but will take it upon him himself to be thy teacher and thy guide and that in the way that thou hast chosen Hear then and behold thy priviledge O thou that fearest the Lord and who ever wanders turns aside and swerveth from the way of Salvation who ever is benighted and lost in the midst of darkness thou shalt find the way to the Heaven and the glory that thou hast chosen Further He doth not only say that he will teach them the way for that must of necessity be supplied but he saies also that he will teach such IN it Him shall he teach IN the way that he shall chuse This argueth that as thou shalt know so the way shall be made by the communion that thou shalt have with God therein sweet and pleasant to thee For this text promiseth unto the man that feareth the Lord the presence company and discovery of the mind of God while he is going in the way that he hath chosen It is said of the good Scribe That he is instructed unto as well as into the way of the Kingdom of God Instructed VNTO that is he hath the heart and mind of God still discovered to him in the way that he hath chosen even all the way from this world to that which is to come even until he shall come to the very gate and door of Heaven Matth. 13.52 what the Disciples said was the effect of the presence of Christ to wit that their hearts did burn within them while he talked to them by the way Luk. 24. shall be also fulfilled in thee he will meet with thee in the way talk with thee in the way he will teach thee IN the way that thou shalt chuse Thirdly Dost thou fear the Lord he will open his secret unto thee even that which he hath hid and keeps close from
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
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
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
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
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
would keep them better deliver them more and preserve them from these snares of death 4. Another motive may be this To grow in this grace of the fear of God is the way to be kept alwaies in a conscientious performance of Christian duties An increase in this grace I say keeps every grace in exercise and the keeping of our graces in their due exercise produceth a conscientious performance of duties Thou hast a Watch perhaps in thy pocket but the hand will not as yet be kept in any good order but does alwaies give thee the lie as to the hour of the day well but what is the way to remedy this but to look well to the spring and the wheels within for if they indeed go right so will the hand do also This is thy case in spiritual things Thou art a gracious man and the fear of God is in thee but yet for all that one cannot well tell by thy life what time a day it is Thou givest no true and constant signe that thou art indeed a Christian why the reason is thou dost not look well to this grace of the fear of God Thou dost not grow and increase in that but sufferest thy heart to grow careless and hard and so thy life remiss and worldly Job's growing great in the fear of God made him eschew evil Job 1. chap. 2. 5. Another motive is This is the way to be wise indeed A wise man feareth and departeth from evil It doth not say a wise man hath the grace of fear but a wise man feareth that is pureth this grace into exercise There is no greater signe of wisdom then to grow in this blessed grace Is it not a signe of wisdom to depart from sins which are the snares of Death and Hell Is it not a signe of wisdom for a man yet more and more to indeavour to intrest himself in the love and protection of God Is it not a high point of wisdom for a man to be alwaies doing of that which laies him under the conduct of Angels surely this is wisdom And if it be a blessing to have this fear is it not wisdom to increase in it doubtless it is the highest point of wisdom as I have shewed before therefore grow therein 6. Another motive may be this It is seemly for Saints to fear and increase in this fear of God 1. He is thy Creator is it not seemly for creatures to fear and reverence their Creator 2. He is thy King is it not seemly for Subjects to fear and reverence their King 3. He is thy Father is it not seemly for Children to reverence and fear their Father yea and to do it more and more 7. Another motive may be It is honourable to grow in this grace of fear when Ephraim spake trembling he exalted himself in Israel Hos. 13.1 Truly to fear and to abound in this fear is a signe of a very princely spirit and the reason is when I greatly fear my God I am above the fear of all others nor can any thing in this world be it never so terrible and dreadful move me at all to fear them And hence it is that Christ counsels us to fear And I say unto you my friends said he fear not them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do I but this is an high pitch how should we come by such princely spirits well I will forewarn you whom you shall fear and by fearing of him arrive to this pitch Fear him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him Luke 12.4 5. Indeed this true fear of God sets a man above all the world And therofore It saith again fear not their fear but sanctify the Lord God in your heart and let him be your fear and let him be your dread Isa. 8. Your great ranting swaggering Roysters that are ignorant of the nature of this fear of God count it a poor sneaking pittiful cowardly spirit in Men to fear and tremble before the Lord but whoso looks back to gaols and gibbits to the sword and burning stake shall see that there in them has been the most mighty and invincible spirit that has been in the world Yea see if God doth not count that the growth of his people in this grace of fear is that which makes them honourable when he positively excludeth those from a dwelling place in his house That do not honour them that fear him Psal. 15.4 And he saith moreover A woman that feareth the Lord shee shall be praised If the world and godless men will not honour these they shall be honoured some way else Such saith he that honour me I will honour and they shall be honoured in Heaven in the Churches and among the Angels 8. Another motive to grow in this fear of God may be This fear and the encrease of it qualifies a man to be put in trust with heavenly and spiritual things yea and with earthly things too 1. For heavenly and spiritual things My covenant saith God was with Levi of life and peace and I gave THEM to him for the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name Mala. 2.5 Behold what a gift what a mercy what a blessing this Levi is intrusted with to wit with Gods everlasting covenant and with the life and peace that is wrapped up in this Covenant But why is it given to him the answer is for the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name And the reason is good for this fear of God teaches a man to put a due estimation upon every gift of God bestowed upon us also it Teaches us to make use of the same with reverence of his name and respect to his glory in most Godly-wise all which becomes him that is intrusted with any spiritual gift The gift here was given to Levi to minister to his brethren doctrinally thereof for he saith God shall teach Jacob my Statutes and Israel my Law See also Exod. 18.21 and Neh. 7.2 With many other places that might be named and you will find that men fearing God and hateing covetousness that men that fear God above others are intrusted by God yea and by his Church too with the trust and ministration of spiritual things before any other in the world 2. For earthly things This fear of God qualifies a man to be put in trust with them rather then with another Therefore God made Joseph Lord of all Aegypt Obadiah Steward of Ahabs house Daniel Mordecai and the three Children were set over the province of Babilon And this by the wonderful working hand of God because he had to dispose of earthly things now not only in a common way but for the good of his people in special True when there is no special matter or thing to be done by God in a Nation for his people then who will that is whether they have grace or
no may have the dispose of those things but if God has any thing in special to bestow upon his people of this worlds good then he will intrust it in the hands of men fearing God Joseph must now be made Lord of Aegypc because Israel must be kept from starving Obadiah must now be made Steward of Ahabs house because the Lords Prophets must be hid from and fed in despite of the rage and bloody mind of Jezebel Daniel with his companions and Mordecai also they were all exalted to earthly and temporal dignity that they might in that state they being men that abounded in the fear of God be serviceable to their Brethren in their straits and difficulties Gen. 42.18 Chap. 41.39 1 King 18.3 Hester the two last Chapters Dan. 2.48 Chap. 3.30 Chap. 5.29 Chap. 6.1 2 3. 9. Another motive to grow in this grace of fear is Where the fear of God in the heart of any is not growing there no grace thrives nor duty done as it should 1. There no grace thrives neither Faith Hope Love nor any grace This is evident from that general Exhortation perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Perfect holiness what is that but as James saies of patience let every grace have its perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire lacking nothing Jam. 1. But this cannot be done but in the fear of God yea in the exercise of that grace and so consequently in the growth of it for there is no grace but grows being exercised If then you would be perfect in holiness if you would have every grace that God has put into your souls grow and flourish unto perfection lay them as I may say a soak in this grace of fear and do all in the exercise of it for a little done in the fear of the Lord is better then the revenues of the wicked And again the Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous the soul that liveth in the fear of the Lord to famish but he casteth away the abundance of the wicked Bring abundance to God and if it be not seasoned with godly fear it shall not be acceptable to him but lothsome and abominable in his sight for it doth not flow from the spirit of the fear of the Lord. 2. Therefore where there is not a growth in this fear there is no duty done so acceptably This flows from that which goes before for if grace rather decays than grows where this grace of fear is not in the growth and increase thereof then duties in their glory and acceptableness decay likewise 10. Another motive to stir thee up to grow in the increase of this grace of fear is It is a grace do but abound therein that will give thee great boldness both with God and men Job was a man a none-such in his day for one that feared God and who so bold with God as Job who so bold with God and who so bold with men as he 1. How bold was he with God when he wishes for nothing more then that he might come even to his seat and concludes that if he could come at him he would approach even as a prince unto him and as such would order his cause before him Job 23.3 4 5 6 7. Chap. 31.35 36 37. Also before his friends how bold was he For ever as they laid to his charge that he was an hypocrite he refels them with the testimony of a good conscience which good conscience he got and kept and maintained by increasing in the fear of God yea his conscience was kept so good by this grace of fear for 't was by that that he eschewed evil that 't was common with him to appeall to God when accused and also to put himself for his clearing under most bitter curses and imprecations Job 13.3 4 5 6 7 8 9.18 19 20 21 22 24. Job 31. This fear of God is it that keeps the conscience clean and tender and so free from much of that defilement that even a good man may be afflicted with for want of his growth in this fear of God Yea let me add if a man can with a good conscience say that he desires to fear the name of God it will ad boldness to his soul in his approaches into the presence of God O Lord said Nehemiah I beseech thee let thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy Servant and Servants who desire to fear thy name Nehe. 1.11 He pleaded his desire of fearing the name of God as an argument with God to grant him his request and the reason was because God had promised before to bless them that fear him both small and great Ps. 115.13 11. Another motive to stir you up to fear the Lord and to grow in this fear is by it thou maiest have thy labours blessed to the saving of the souls of others 'T is said of Levi of whom mention was made before that he feared God and was afraid before his Name that he saved others from their sins The law of truth was in his lips and he walked with me in Peace and Equity and did turn away many from iniquity Mal. 25.6 The fear of God that dwelt in his heart shewed its growth in the Sanctifying of the Lord by his life and words and the Lord also blessed this his growth herein by blessing his labours to the saving of his Neighbors Wouldest thou save thy Husband thy Wife thy Children c. then be greatly in the fear of God This Peter teaches Wives saith he be subject to your own husbands that if any obey not the word they may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives while they behold your chast conversation coupled with fear 1 Pet. 3.1 2. So then if Wives and Children yea if Husbands Wives Children Servants c. did but better observe this general rule of Peter to wit of letting their whole conversation be coupled with fear they might be made instruments in Gods hand of much more good then they are But the misery is the fear of God is wanting in actions and that is the cause that so little good is done by those that profess 'T is not a conversation that is coupled with a profession for a great profession may be attended with a life that is not good but scandalous but it is a conversation coupled with fear of God that is with the impressions of the fear of God upon it that is convincing and that ministreth the awakenings of God to the conscience in order to saving the unbeliever O they are a sweet couple to wit a Christian conversation coupled with fear The want of this fear of God is that that has been a stumbling block to the blind oftentimes Alas the World will not be convinced by your talk by your notions and by the great profession that you make if they see not therewith mixed the lively impressions of the fear of God but will as I said
fault with his dispensations and where there is that the heart is far from fear A murmuring spirit either comes from that wisdom that pretends to understand that there is a failure in the nature and execution of things or from an envy and spite at the execution of them Now if murmurings arise from this pretended wisdom of the flesh then instead of fearing of God his actions are judged to be either riged or ridiculous which yet are done in judgment truth and righteousness So that a murmuring heart cannot be a good one for the fear of God to grow in alas the heart where that grows must be a soft one as you have it in Job 23.15 16. And an heart that will stoop and be silent at the most abstruse of all his Judgments I was silent because thou didest it The heart in which this fear of God doth flourish is such that it bowes and is mute if it can but espie the hand wisdom justice or holiness of God in this or the other of his dispensations and so stirs up the soul to fear before him But if this murmuring ariseth from envy and spite that looketh so like to the spirit of the Devil that nothing need be said to give conviction of the horrible wickedness of it 8. Wouldst thou grow in this grace of fear then Take heed of an high and captious spirit for that is not good ground for the fear of God to grow in a meek and quiet spirit is the best and there the fear of God will flourish most therefore Peter puts meekness and fear together as being most suited in their nature and natural tendency one to another 1 Pet. 3.14 Meekness of spirit is like that heart that hath depth of earth in it in which things may take root and grow but an high and captious spirit is like to the stony ground where there is not depth of earth and consequently where this grace of fear cannot grow therefore take heed of this kind of spirit if thou wouldst that the fear of God should grow in thy soul. 9. Wouldst thou grow in the grace of fear then Take heed of an envious heart for that is not a good heart for the fear of God to grow in Let not thy heart envy sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 To envy any is a signe of a bad spirit and that man takes upon him as I have already hinted to be a controller and a judge yea and a malicious executioner too and that of that fury that ariseth from his own lusts and revengeful spirit upon perhaps the man that is more righteous then himself But suppose he is a sinner that is the object of thine envy why the Text sets that envy in direct opposition to the fear of God Envy not sinners but be thou in the fear of God These two therefore to wit envy to sinners and fearing of God are opposites Thou canst not fear God and envy sinners too And the reason is because he that envieth a sinner hath forgotten himself that he is as bad and how can he then fear God He that envies sinners rejects his duty of blessing of them that curse and praying for them that despitefully use us and how can he that hath rejected this fear God He that envieth sinners therefore cannot be of a good spirit nor can the fear of God grow in his heart Lastly Wouldst thou grow in this grace of fear Then Take heed of hardning thy heart at anytime against convictions to particuler duties as to Prayer Alms Self-denial or the like Take heed also of hardning thy heart when thou art under any judgment of God as sickness losses crosses or the like I bid you before to beware of an hard heart but now I bid you beware of hardning your soft ones For to harden the heart is to make it worse then it is harder more desperate and bold against God then at the present it is Now I say if thou wouldest grow in this grace of fear take heed of hardning thy heart and especially of hardning of it against convictions to good for those convictions are sent of God like seasonable showrs of rain to keep the tillage of thy heart in good order that the grace of fear may grow therein but this stiffling of convictions makes the heart as hard as a piece of the nether Milstone Therefore happy is he that receiveth conviction for so he doth keep in the fear of God and that fear thereby nourished in his soul but cursed is he that doth otherwise Happy is the man that feareth alway but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into mischief Prov. 28.14 A use of Encouragement I come now to a use of encouragement to those that are blessed with this grace of fear The last text that was mentioned saith Happy is the man that feareth alway and so doth many more Happy already because blessed with this grace and happy for time to come because this grace shall abide and continue till the soul that hath it is brought unto the mansion house of glory I will put my fear in their heart and they shall not depart from me Therefore as here is saith Happy IS he so it saith also It SHALL go well with him that is in time to come It SHALL go well with them that fear the Lord Eccles. 8.12 Had God given thee all the world yet cursed hadst thou been if he had not given thee the fear of the Lord for the fashion of this world is a fading thing but he that feareth the Lord shall abide for ever and ever This therefore is the first thing that I would propound for thy encouragement thou man that fearest the Lord. This grace will dwell in thy heart for it is a new covenant grace and will abide with thee forever It is sent to thee from God not only to joyn thy heart unto him but to keep thee from final apostacy I will put my fear in their heart and they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. That thou maist never forsake God is his design and therefore to keep thee from that wicked thing he hath put his fear in thy heart Many are the temptations difficulties snares traps trials and troubles that the people of God pass through in the world but how shall they be kept how shall they be delivered and escape Why the answer is the fear of God will keep them He that feareth God shall come out of them all It is not therefore a wonderful mercy to be blessed with this grace of fear that thou by it maiest be kept from final which is damnable apostacy Bless God therefore thou blessed man that hast this grace of fear in thy soul. There are five things in this grace of fear that have a direct tendency in them to keep thee from final apostacy 1. It is seated in the heart and the heart is as I may call it the main FORT
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
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
God I would have thee be warned by them And they are these which follow 1. If thou wouldst grow in this grace of fear Take heed of an hard heart for that will hinder thy growth in this grace Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear Isa. 63.17 was a bitter complaint of the Church heretofore for it is not only the judgement that in it self is dreadful and sore to Gods people but that which greatly hindereth the growth of this grace in the soul. An hard heart is but barren ground for any grace to grow in specially for the grace of fear there is but little of this fear where the heart indeed is hard neither will there ever be much therein Now if thou wouldst be kept from an hard heart 1. Take heed of the beginings of sin Take heed I say of that though it should be never so small A little leaven leavens the whole lump there is more in a little sin to harden than in a great deal of grace to soften Davids look upon Bathsheba was one would think but a small matter yet that begining of sin contracted such hardness of heart in him that it carried him almost beyond all fear of God It did carry him to commit lewdness with her murder upon the body of Vriah and to abundance of wicked dissimulation which are things I say that have direct tendency to quench and destroy all fear of God in the soul. 2. If thou hast sinned lie not down without repentance for the want of repentance after one has sinned makes the heart yet harder and harder Indeed an hard heart is impenitent and impenitence also makes the heart harder and harder So that if impenitence be added to hardness of heart or to the beginings of sin which makes it so It will quickly be with that soul as is said of the house of Israel it will have A Whores forehead it will hardly be brought to shame Jer. 3.3 3. If thou wouldst be rid of an hard heart that great enemy to the growth of the grace of fear Be much with Christ upon the Cross in thy Meditations For that is an excellent remedy against hardness of heart a right sight of him as he hanged there for thy sins will dissolve thy heart into tears and make it soft and tender They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn Zech. 12.10 11. Now a soft a tender and broken heart is a fit place for the grace of fear to thrive in But 2. If thou wouldst have the grace of fear to grow in thy soul Take heed also of a prayerless heart for that is not a place for this grace of fear to grow in Hence he that refraineth prayer is said To cast off fear Thou casteth off fear said one of his friends to Job But how must he do that why the next words shew Thou restrainest prayer before God Job 15.4 Seest thou a Professor that prayeth not that man thrusteth the fear of God away from him Seest thou a man that prays but little that man feareth God but little for it is the praying soul the man that is mighty in praying that has an heart for the fear of God to grow in Take heed therefore of a prayerless heart if you would grow in this grace of the fear of God Prayer is as the pitcher that fetcheth water from the Brook therewith to water the herbs break the pitcher and it will fetch no water and for want of water the Garden withers 3. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear Then take heed of a light and wanton heart For neither is such an heart good ground for the fear of God to grow in wherefore 't is said of Israel She feared not but went and plaid the Harlot also She was given to wantonness and to be light and vain and so her fear of God decaied Jer. 3.8 Had Joseph been as wanton as his Mistress he had been as void of the fear of God as she but he was of a sober tender godly considerate spirit therefore he grew in the fear of God 4. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear Then take heed of a covetous heart for neither is that which is such an one good ground for this grace of fear to grow in Therefore this covetousness and the fear of God are as enemies set the one in opposition to the other one that feareth God and hateth COVETOVSNESS Exod. 18.21 And the reason why covetousness is such an obstruction to the growth of this grace of fear is because covetousness casteth those things out of the heart which alone can nourish this fear It casteth out the word and love of God without which no grace can grow in the soul how then should the fear of God grow in a covetous heart Ezek. 33.30 31 32. 1 John 2.15 5. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear then Take heed of an unbelieving heart For an unbelieving heart is not good ground for this grace of fear to grow in An unbelieving heart is called an evil heart Heb. 3.13 because from it flows all the wickedness that is committed in the World Now it is faith or a believing heart that nourisheth this fear of God Heb. 11.7 and not the other and the reason is for that faith brings God Heaven and Hell to the soul and maketh it duly consider of them all this is therefore the means of fear and that which will make it grow in the soul but unbelief is a BANE thereto 6. Wouldst thou grow in this grace of fear Then take heed of a forgetful heart Such an heart is not an heart where the grace of fear will flourish when I remember I am affraid c. Therefore take heed of forgetfulness do not forget but remember God and his kindness patience and mercy to those that yet neither have grace nor special favor from him and that will beget and nourish his fear in thy heart but forgetfulness of this or of any other of his judgments is a great wound and weakening to this fear Job 21.6 When a man well remembers that Gods judgments are so great a deep and mystery as indeed they are that remembrance puts a man upon such considerations of God and of his judgments as to make him fear Therefore saies Job I am afraid of him See the place Job 23.15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence when I consider I am afraid of him When I remember and consider of the wonderful depths of his judgments toward man 7. Wouldst thou grow in this grace of fear then Take heed of a murmuring and repining heart for that is not an heart for this grace of fear to grow in As for instance when men murmur and repine at Gods hand at his dispensations and at the Judgments that overtake them in their persons estates families or relations THAT their murmuring tendeth to destroy fear for a murmuring spirit is such an one as seems to correct God and to find