Certain Sermons, Sermon 4
A SERMON, WHEREIN IS DEclared the nature of the feare of God.
PROV. 1.7.
The feare of Iehouah is the beginning of wiſedome.
TO omit the coherence of theſe words with the former, becauſe it maketh not much for the further vnderſtanding or opening of this place, the words in themſelues containe a briefe or ſumme of all that doctrine, and the ground of all thoſe exhortations which are propounded in the 9. firſt Chapters of this booke: which is this, that the reuerence of Iehouah is the chiefe wiſedome, and the gate or entrance to all wiſedome, according to which whoſoeuer doth order and frame his life, may be iuſtly called a wiſe man. In the words is contained a deſcription of the feare of God by a double argument. The firſt is taken from the ſubiect, to wit, Iehouah, for about his Maieſtie is this feare conuerſant. The ſecond taken from the nature of it, to wit, it is the principall wiſedom, or the very fountaine and headſpring of all true wiſedome.
For the better vnderſtanding of the words, wee muſt remember that there is a three-fold feare mentioned in Scripture. The firſt is a naturall feare, which is occupied about ſome imminent euill and danger, which may either deſtroy, or grieue and annoy the creature; ſo our Sauiour Chriſt feared death. The ſecond is a diſtruſtfull feare, eueryevery where diſcommended in Scripture and diſallowed, as 1. Ioh. 4. perfect louelove caſteth out this feare of incredulitie. The third is a feare proceeding from faith as a fruite of it, in which ſenſe we are to ſpeake of it in this place, being that which here is commended vntounto vsus: this is called the feate of Iehonah.
But here it will be demanded how God can be the obiect of feare, conſidering that feare is occupied about ſome future euill, and that not farre off, but imminent and neere at hand; and no ſmall euill, but ſo great as that a man is not able by his power either to reſiſt, or to ſuſtaine and ouercome it. Now God is goodneſſe it ſelfe, yea the chiefeſt good to bee deſired and earneſtly ſought after of all, and therefore to be feared of none. Anſwera. The proper and direct obiect of feare is ſome euill, yet indirectly, and in the ſecond place it reſpecteth the partie or perſon from whence the euill commeth; as hope firſt of all reſpecteth the good thing hoped for and next, the perſon of whom this good thing is to be receiued ſo the moſt direct and proper obiect of this feare is the diſpleaſure of God, which is the onelyonly euill to be feared and auoided of all men; and more indirectly and in the ſecond place it is referred to God himſelf, and called the feare of Iehouah.
This feare proceeding from faith is ſaid to be the chiefeſt wiſedom, both becauſe from hence us from a pure fountaine proceedeth all true wiſedome: and herein alſo conſiſteth the greateſt part of ſpirituall and diuine wiſedome to reuerence the true God.
Touching this feare, that we may with fruite conſider and entreare of it, foure things are to be learned: firſt what it is; ſecondly, by what markes and notes it is knowne and diſcerned: thirdly, by what meanes it is obtained and kept: fourthly, by what arguments wee are to be induced to ſeeke after it and practiſe it. For the firſt, to begin with the acception and vſe of the word, which in Scripture is manifold. Firſt, it is put for God himſelfe: Geneſ. 31.53. Iaakob ſware by the feare of his father Izhak. Secondly, for his word and doctrine, Pſal. 19.9. The feare of the Lord is cleare, &c. Thirdly, generally for the whole worſhip of God, Pſalm. 34.9. Ionah. 1.9. Fourthly, it is put for a ſpeciall part of Gods worſhip, and ſignifieth this chaſt & filiall feare, that feare whereby the wife feareth the husband, and the childe the father; which may bee thus deſcribed. It is a peculiar gift of the holie Ghoſt in the regenerate, whereby a man, being reſolued particularly and effectually of Gods preſence, ſtandeth in awe to diſpleaſe him, and endeuoureth to pleaſe him in all things.
Firſt it is a gift, Eſay 11.2. Secondly, it is a peculiar gift to diſtinguiſh it from the common gifts of the Spirit, as Prophecie, which is a gift to interprete and expound Scripture; illumination; a gift to practiſe a particular calling; a gift to bridle and moderate the affections; and temporarie faith: all which, with many others, bee in reprobates, and ſuch as are deſtitute of the feare of God.
Thirdly, in the regenerate: and that is added for two cauſes: firſt, becauſe vnregenerate and wicked men that liue in their ſinnes doe want this holy feare, Rom. 3.18. Pſalm. 36.1. Secondly, to diſtinguiſh it from that feare which is in them. Now the difference conſiſteth in theſe 3. things:
Firſt, the feare of the godly proceedeth from faith and louelove of God, for he beleeueth eueryevery word of God: The commanding word, and therfore feareth to tranſgreſſe euen becauſe of the authoritie of the commandemēt: The promiſing word, and therefore feareth leſt through vnthankfulneſſe and diſobedience hee ſhould depriue himſelfe of the vſe and fruite of the promiſe: and the threatning word, and therefore feareth leſt hee ſhould incurre the danger of Gods wrath, & curſe denounced againſt the breakers of his law. Againe, becauſe hee loueth God, therefore hee feareth to offend him, and by ſinne to diuide and ſeparate himſelfe from him. Contrariwiſe, the feare of the wicked proceedeth from diſtruſt, for he only ſetting before him the conſideration of the curſe, the iudgements of God due vntounto him, hell, death, and damnation, vtterly deſpaireth of merciemercy, and his conſcience, by the aſſiſtance of the holy Ghoſt, applying the curſe, is ouerwhelmed with exceſſiue feare, and plunged into the gulfe of deſperation and deſtruction. Againe, it proceedeth of corrupt ſelfeloue, whereby he loueth his owne welfare, his preſent and future good eſtate, his own pleaſures and luſts, and abhorreth eueryevery thing that may croſſe him in them. Laſtly, of the hatred of God; for this is his damnable diſpoſition that hee wiſheth there were no God, the law were no law, ſinne were not ſinne, that he might ſtill liue in the practiſe of his luſts without checke or controlement.
They differe in the obiect: The feare of the godly is conuerſant about malum culpae, and the offence of Gods Maieſtie principally, holding that to be the greateſt euill: and leſſe principally and in the ſecond place, about the malum paena, and Gods wrath: for this is the ingenuus diſpoſition of the childe of God, that though there were no hell or puniſhment for euill doers, yet would he ſhun and auoide ſinne for it ſelfe, becauſe God abhorreth it. The feare of the wicked is occupied about malū paenae alone, therefore it is indeede a ſeruile and ſlauiſh feare, and if there were no puniſhment for ſinne he would neuer feare, and the more he is puniſhed the more he rebelleth.
In the effect: the former cauſeth a man to goe vntounto God, and to ſecke comfort from him alone, yea though he ſhew himſelfe an enemie, and as it were a perſecutor in all reaſon, as to Iob: the latter cauſeth a man to flie from God, and to runne away from him, and to fret and fume againſt him; and in one word, the one hath hope of comfort with it, the other hath none. The difference further may bee illuſtrated by this compariſon: The feare of the godly is like the feare of the chaſt Matrone, who feareth her husband being preſent leſt hee ſhould depart from her, leſt hee ſhould diminiſh his affectionate louelove toward her, and by any offence on her part hauehave his minde alienated from her: Contrariwiſe, the feare of the wicked is like to that of the ſtrū pet and adulterous wife, who feareth her husband abſent, leſt he ſhould returne, and preſent, leſt hee ſhould know and be made priuie to her wicked and vnchaſt practiſes.
Whereby a man being reſolued particularly, &c. This reſolution is the ground of the feare of God: now it neceſſarily preſuppoſeth an apprehenſion or conceiuing of God in the minde; which how it may be, (ſeeing God is infinit and incomprehenſible, and therefore cannot bee compaſſed within the narrow & ſtaight bounds of humane reaſon and capacitie) it may be demanded.
Anſw. God is not conceiued of vsus as he is in his owne nature, neither yet by negation, or analogie, but as be hath reuealed himſelfe in his word and creatures. God hath reuealed himſelfe in his word to be holy, wiſe, good, iuſt, mercifull, infinite, omnipotent: therfore the minde of man conceiueth him to be holy, &c. God hath reuealed himſelfe in his creatures to be great, mightie, terrible, a God full of power, glorie, and Maieſtie: therefore the minde of man conceiueth him to be ſo. This apprehenſion breedeth a reſolution of Gods preſence in the minde; but vnleſſe it be further ſetled in the heart and conſcience it is vnprofitable: and therefore I adde it muſt bee particular: not onelyonly that whereby a man is perſwaded generally that God ſeeth and knoweth all things, and is preſent at all mens actions, but alſo effectually, ſuch as ſtriketh the heart with an holy reuerence in regard of Gods Maieſtie. Whereof there be two effects: firſt an awe, which is two-fold: Firſt in reſpect of ſinne, whereunto Dauid exhorteth Sauls Courtiers, Pſal. 4.4. An example whereof wee hauehave in Ioſeph, who being ſollicited vntounto folly by Potiphars wife, was hereby reſtrained, Geneſ. 19.9. Secondly, in regard of puniſhment or chaſtiſement, either preſent, whereunto Peter exhorteth, 1. Pet. 5.6. Examples whereof wee hauehave in Ely, 1. Sam. 3.18. and in Dauid, 2. Sam. 16.10. Pſal. 39.9. and in Iob, Iob 1.21. Or future, when a man feareth to ſin becauſe of Gods threatnings, which euen the childe of God ought to dread: for the naturall child feareth not only the offence of the father, but euen the rod alſo and whip. But is not this a ſeruile feare? Nothing leſſe: this feare is good, and a part of that filiall feare whereby wee worſhip God in this life, as appeareth by theſe reaſons. Firſt, it is the gift of God, Eſay 11.2. Ierem. 32.40. Secondly, it is commended vntounto vsus in Scripture; both by precept, Leuit. 19.14. which is a morall precept, and Matth. 10.28. and by practiſe; in the example of Iehoſhaphat, 2. Chron. 20.3. of Ioſias, 2. King. 21.13. in the Prophet Habakkuk. Hab. 3.16. in Dauid, Pſal. 119.120. in Iob, Iob. 31.23. and in Chriſt: who though hee naturally feared death, yet had a further feare by reaſon of the horrible wrath of God to bee ſuſtained for the ſinne of man: and therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, Hebr. 5.7. that hee was heard in that which hee feared. Thirdly, it is a meanes to eſcape the wrath of God, as ye may ſee, Hab. 3.16. Fourthly, it becommeth not vsus to be ſecure when God ſhewes himſelfe to bee terrible and fearefull in his workes or iudgements. And if God be to be feared, why not his wrath? and if hee would hauehave vsus to feare the ſword of the Magiſtrate, why not his owne? conſidering that the ſword of the Magiſtrate is his owne ſword. And why doth God threaten ſo many plagues euen to his children, but to this end that they might feare them? And if it diſpleaſe God that we are ſenſeleſſe, and not grieued and moued when hee doth afflict vsus, Ierem. 5.3. doth it not alſo diſpleaſe him that wee doe not feare when he threatneth? Yea what father or perſon in authoritie aboue other is there among men, that doth not louelove to hauehave his threats feared of his children and inferiours? Fifthly, this feare is very many waies profitable and neceſſarie: for firſt it expelleth the contempt of God and the ſecuritie of the fleſh, euen in the regenerate, and makes them tractable and pliable, and prompt to doe the will of God: and hence it is that the Lord doth often exerciſe his children with legall terrors and feares, that they might bee the more humbled, and ſo made the more willing to obey. An example of this we hauehave in Paul, who by reaſon of thoſe feares in his firſt conuerſiō, wherwith he was ſtrangely ſmitten and aſtonied, was greatly caſt downe, and became farre more prompt to obey God. And this is confirmed by the contrarie: for what is the cauſe why Atheiſts, Epicures, and prophane wretches, doe ſinne without all ſhame and regard of common honeſtie? but that they hauehave caſt out of their hearts all feare of God, and al conſideration of his iudgements, that they might more freely without all checke wallow in the mire of their carnall pleaſures, and bathe and refreſh themſelues in their vile and beaſtly ſinnes.
The ſecond effect is an endeucur to pleaſe him: To this the Lord exhorteth Abraham, Geneſ. 17.1. and examples hereof we hauehave in Enoch, Geneſ. 3. and Noah, Geneſ. 6. who both of them receiued this teſtimonie that they walked with God: that is, as in his preſence. For when a man conſidereth that God ſeeth his heart, and knoweth all his thoughts, then hee laboureth to auoide diſſembling, and to be vpright. The vſe of this ſerueth to condemne the practiſe of moſt men: for who almoſt is perſwaded of Gods preſence? God ſeeth vsus, but we doe not eſpie him: who ſtandeth in awe of him, but vponupon eueryevery occaſion yeeldeth vntounto ſinne? who is patient? who ſtudieth to pleaſe & glorifie God? howſoeuer many profeſſe the ſame outwardly.
Now that we may not deceiue our ſelues in this matter, there be certaine markes whereby this true feare of God may bee diſcerned: which bee theſe.
Firſt, when a man ſetteth himſelfe in Gods preſence, whereſoeuer hee become, or whatſoeuer hee is about, after the example of Danid, Pſal. 16.8 whereof follow many notable effects.
Firſt, if a man bee in companie hee will obſerue and vſe the opportunities of doing and receiuing good: if he ſpeake, he will ſpeake wiſely, and guide his words with diſcretion, or elſe be ſilent: yea he will obſerue the occaſions and ſeaſons of ſpeaking and keeping ſilence, and his outward carriage will be graue, moderate, decent, ſober; not only inoffenſiue, but profitable to edification. If hee be to doe any part of Gods worſhip either priuate or publike, hee will doe it with reuerence, with care to glorifie God, to profit others and himſelfe: if he be about any worke of his calling, hee wil doe it faithfully, ſincerely, and diligently: if about any morall duty of louelove vntounto men, hee will performe it willingly, and cheerefully, and in an holy manner.
To make conſcience of all ſinne, Prou. 14.16 and of moral obedience. Now to make conſcience of ſinne, is, when a man in conſideration of Gods preſence and commandement, abſtaineth from ſinne euen then when he is ſtrongly tempted thereunto: as Ioſeph did: for otherwiſe not eueryevery abſtaining from ſin is by and by a ſigne of the true feare of God. But to this three things be required: firſt, a godly iealouſie and ſuſpition ouer a mans ſelfe, leſt by ſinne he ſhould fall from God: and good reaſon, becauſe of that domeſticall and inbred enemie of deceit, which is deepely fixed in eueryevery mans heart by nature, Iere. 17.9 Secondly, a continuall care and watchfulnes ouer the heart and life, and ouer all the members of the bodie, and the ſenſes, that they be no inſtruments either to occaſion or begin, or to execute ſinne, commended vntounto vsus, Prou. 4.23. Thirdly, a … only to foreſee the occaſions …, and deceits of the ſpi…all enemie, and carefully to preuent them; but to furniſh a man with ſpirituall armour out of the word of God againſt all aſſayes. Againe, a man muſt make conſcience not onelyonly of outward publick ſinnes, whereof the world crieth ſhame: but of ſecret ſins which he might commit without the knowledge of any; yea, of the inward and ſecret conceits of the heart, as Ioſeph, who might hauehave done the euill to which he was ſollicited ſecretly, ſo that no man ſhould hauehave knowne it, but euen then the feare of God withheld him. So alſo Prou. 8.13. Iob 31.23. Againe, there is this conſcience of morall obedience: for theſe two be alwaies coupled together: Eccleſ. 12.13. Pro. 14.2. Pſal. 112.1. Acts 10.35.
To feare at the hearing of Gods iudgements threatned in his word, or executed in the world. Eſay 66.5. Heare the word of God, yee that tremble at his word. And the Prophet Habakkuk 3.16. ſaid, that when he heard Gods threatnings, hee feared, and his belly trembled, and rottenneſſe entered into his bones, and hee was wonderfully diſmaied and terrified. And to bee ſilent and wonder at the remembrance of the iudgements of God, as did Aaron, who held his peace when his two ſons were deſtroyed by fire from the Lord, Leu. 10.3. and to be prouoked by them to repentance, which is the right vſe of al his iudgments, they being reall ſermons, which vſe our Sauiour teacheth vsus, Luk. 13.3.
To feare God more then men: that is, to be more afraid of the diſpleaſure of God then of men; and therefore to preferre obediēce vntounto his commandements before mans, as did the Ebrew Midwiues, Exod. 1.17. and the Apoſtles, Acts 5.29. and to dread more the ſhame which God cā bring vponupon vsus, then the ſhame of men: for the ſhame of men is but loſſe of credit and good name, whereas the other is euerlaſting confuſion. Let no man therfore be afraid in the cauſe of God and of religion to vndergoe ignominie, for ſuch a one the Lord honoureth. Contrariwiſe, if he be aſhamed to profeſſe Chriſt heere, then let him know hee is deſtitute of the feare of God, and Chriſt will bee aſhamed of him.
Humilitie: for theſe two are ioyned together, and hauehave one reward aſſigned vntounto them, Prou. 22.4. the reward of humilitie, and of the feare of God is riches, glory and life.
Deſire of knowledge: theſe two 6. are alſo combined, Eſay 11.2. and euen as the naturall child is deſirous to know his fathers will that he migh obey it, and pleaſe him, leſt happily hee might through ignorāce tranſgreſſe; euen ſo the true feare of God carrieth with it deſire and endeuour to know his will and commandements.
Hauing ſhewed both what this holy feare is, and which bee the markes and ſignes thereof, it followeth now that wee ſpeake of the third generall things propounded, namelie, the meanes of obtaining this grace, and of bringing our harts vntounto a true feare of God: which be theſe.
Firſt, meditation and ſerious conſideration of God, and that, firſt of his authoritie, rule, and abſolute dominion ouer all things, which ought to ſtrike a reuerence into all; euen as Princes, Magiſtrates, and Superiours, are feared for their authority. Secondly, of the glorie, maieſtie, and ſublimitie of God, who is aboue al creatures: nay, in whoſe preſence the Angels are not pure, Eſay 6.2. and the Sunne is darkenes, and at whoſe becke all creatures are ſubiect as his hoaſt and armie, to execute his will. Thirdly, the baſenes of man, both in reſpect of his weakenes, (who is not able to ſtand before God and to behold his preſence, no more then the brittle glaſſe to hold ſtrong liquour: and therfore the Apoſtle ſaith that fleſh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of heauen, and that this corruptible muſt put on incorruption before it can enter into glorie) and as alſo in regard of ſin, the conſcience and guilt wherof maketh a man afraid, and aſhamed to come neere to God, as may appeare in Adam, Geneſ. 3. who after his fall, being aſhamed of Gods preſence, ſewed fig tree leaues together and made aprons to couer his nakedneſſe, and if it were poſſible to hide it from God. And Moſes Exod. 3.6. and Peter, Luk. 5.8. Fourthly, of the omnipotencie of God, who is able euen with the breath of his noſthrils to conſume and bring to nought all that rebell againſt him. Fifthly, of his iuſtice, iudgements, and merciemercy. Laſtly of his omnipreſence, and of his omniſcience.
Secondly; earneſt prayer for this grace eſpecially: for that is the conduit pipe to conuey this and all other graces into the hearts of Gods children. Dauid praied for this grace particularly, Pſal. 86.11. and God gaue it him; for he teſtifieth of himſelfe that his fleſh trembled for feare of Gods iudgements. God hath alſo promiſed to beſtow it vponupon his children, Ieremie 32.40.
Thirdly, the deniall of our ſelues, eſpecially of our fleſhly wiſedome. Prou. 3.7. Be not wiſe in thine owne eyes: feare the Lord, and depart from euill.
Come we now to the fourth point, which is the motiues whereby wee may be perſwaded to ſeeke after this heauenly grace: and they be theſe.
Firſt the commandement of God: which wee hauehave in many places of Scripture, and among others in theſe: Eccleſ. 12.13. Pſal. 34.9. Secondly, the examples of holy men that hauehave herein gone before vsus, as of Abraham, Gen. 22.12. of Iacob, and Izhak. Geneſ. 31.42. and 53. of Ioſeph, Geneſ. 39.9. of Dauid, 1. Chron. 13 12. of Iob, 1.1. of Simeon, Luke 2.25. of Cornelius, Acts 10.2.
Thirdly, the large promiſes which God hath made to this grace, of good things both ſpirituall and temporall. Firſt ſpirituall bleſſings, and they are many: as firſt illumination and vnderſtanding of the ſcriptures, Pſal. 25.14. Then obedience, and grace to liue well, Pſal. 25.12. The louelove and fauour of God, Pſal. 103.17. life eternall, Prou. 22.4. Prou. 19.23. and happineſſe, Pſal. 112.1. Prou. 28.14. Secondly, for temporall good things: God hath promiſed to them that feare him proſperitie, Pſal. 34.9.10. Pſal. 112.3. Glorie and honour, Prouerbs 22.4. A good condition of life, together with the continuance of the ſame, and immunitie from euill, Prou. 19.23. long life on earth and length of daies, Prou. 10.27. The bleſſing of children and poſteritie, Pſal. 112.2. Pſalme 25.13. Protection from dangers, Pſal. 33.18.19. All which good promiſes hauehave bin fulfilled in Abraham, Dauid, and their poſteritie. And if at any time theſe temporall promiſes are not performed vntounto vsus, yet is not God falſe of his word, becauſe theſe promiſes and the like muſt alwaies be vnderſtood with the exception of the croſſe. Yea in one word, God hath promiſed to them which hauehave this grace, all good things both temporal and ſpiritual; as Pſal. 25.13. His ſoule ſhall dwell at eaſe; that is, be repleniſhed with all bleſſings.
Fourthly, let vsus remember the exceeding great profits and commodities which attend vponupon this feare of God: It teacheth a man to obſerue the golden rule of mediocrity in eueryevery eſtate of life, Eccleſ. 7.20.21. It reſtraineth and hindreth vsus from ſinne, Prou. 14.2.16. Iob. 1.1. It giueth true and inuincible fortitude in the midſt of the greateſt dangers, Pſal. 112.7. Exod. 18.21. Men of courage, & fearing God, theſe two are ioyned together. An example whereof we hauehave in Eliſha, 2. King. 6.16. and in Hezekiah, 2. Chron. 32.7. and in the Martyrs, who hauehave deſpiſed the threatnings of Tyrants, and hauehave remained vndaunted in the midſt of the flames: whereupon Dauid grounded his courage, Pſal. 27.2. Pſal. 46.1.2.3. It is the way to true wiſedome, Prou. 1.7. Now all men deſire to be eſteemed wiſe.
Fifthly, let vsus call to minde the threatnings which God hath denounced againſt them which feare him not, Deut. 28.58.59. and againſt ſecuritie, Deut. 29.19.20.
Laſtly, let vsus conſider how dangerous the eſtate of a ſecure man is, which chieflie appeareth in theſe three things: firſt, a ſecure man deuoid of the feare of God, goes downe ſuddenly to hell, before he be aware, or can thinke of his miſerie, as Nabal died liked a ſtone, and as they in the daies of Noe, Matth. 24. and Luk. 27. euen whileſt they were eating and drinking and making merrie, were ouerwhelmed in the flood; ſo ſhall it be with the ſecure man. Secondly, he that feareth not God is very farre from true repentance; for not knowing his diſeaſe and wretched eſtate, he neuer dreaſnes of a remedy. Thirdly, the longer he liues, the more he increaſeth his iudgement: as it is euident, Roman. 2.5.
FINIS.