Godly Fear, Text – Application
Godly Fear: OR, The Nature and Neceſſity of Fear, and its Uſefulneſs, &c.
PROV. 28.14.
Happy is the Man that feareth alway.
YOU will not expect that I ſpend time in enquiring after the connection of theſe words, with the foregoing, or the following parts of this Chapter, if you conſider the Book in which they are found, The Book of Proverbs; wherein many precious Truths are laid and pack'd together, but not connected together, this Book being rather a Golden Mine than a Golden Chain.
The words of the Text are an entire Propoſition which may be logically reſolved into, 1. A Subject, [the Man that feareth] together with the Circumſtances of time [alway]. 2. An Attribute, or ſomething affirmed concerning this Man [happy], he is an happy Man.
For the opening of theſe words briefly.
[Happy] or bleſſed, or as it is in the Original, O the bleſſedneſs, O how bleſſed! he is a very happy Man, [the Man that feareth] that is, ſay ſome, The Man that feareth all the evil that is before him; the miſery that is before him, the danger that he is in. Say others, The Man that feareth God, according as it's expreſs'd, Prov. 23.17. that is, in the fear of God all the day long. Others, that walks cautelouſly and warily; Qui proſpicit ne quid temerè aggrediatur, nec abſque debitâ deliberatione & conſilio, ſollicitè cavens, ne quid boni omittat, nec in malum ruat. He that walks with Counſel and Care, that he neglects not his Duty nor fall into danger. Put all theſe Interpretations into one, and you have the full ſenſe of the words. He that walking under an awe and reverence of God, and a ſenſe of the danger he is in, wiſely and warily orders his ſteps, that he be not ſurprized by Sin or by Wrath.
[Alway], The Caldee renders it, Omnia, that feareth all things, that feareth himſelf, his Eyes, his Ears, his Tongue, his Table, his Eſtate, his Buſineſs, his Company, his Friends and his Enemies; that is, as far forth as they may be Inlets, or Inſtruments, or Temptations to Sin, and ſo may expoſe him to danger: But the word is [alway], that feareth at all times, that is never ſecure.
The Doctrine that I ſhall hence inſiſt upon is this.
Doct. A Life of Holy Fear is a Bleſſed Life.
In the opening hereof, I ſhall more particularly enquire,
1. What that Fear is, to which Bleſſedneſs is pronounced.
2. What that Bleſſedneſs is, which is pronounced to this Fear.
In the handling whereof, I ſhall together give in the proof of the Doctrine.
1. What that Fear is to which Bleſſedneſs is pronounced. There is a Fear that is our weakneſs; As, 1. the Fear of the faint-hearted, a natural puſillanimity or cowardize; there are ſuch weak Spirits in whom every little danger, or but the ſhadow of a danger, ſhakes their Hearts, and puts them into anxieties and diſquiets. In what perpetual bondage do ſome timerous Spirits live! how reſtleſs are their hearts, like the troubled Sea that cannot be at reſt, every little guſt raiſes a ſtorm! In what a daily and hourly ſucceſſion of vexing diſquiets do they live! 2. The Fear of the Scrupulous, about ſome ſuppoſed moral Evils which concern their practice; who through weakneſs of Underſtanding, or the abounding of Melancholy, do often fancy that to be Sin which is no Sin, and thereby fright themſelves off from the uſe of their Liberty, and ſometimes from their very Duty. Every Morſel that they eat, every Garment that they wear, they are afraid leſt it be too much, or too good, or too fine, &c. and thereby ſcruple themſelves out of their convenient Food, and all comely Apparel. Some poor Melancholick Chriſtians dare not pray; for fear of taking the Name of God in vain: dare not come to the Table of the Lord at all, for fear of coming unworthily.
In this Fear there is a mixture of Good and Evil; there's ſomething Good, an averſion from Sin, and tenderneſs of running into it; and there's ſomething evil, a ſinful miſtake, counting that evil which is not evil; as we may not call Evil Good, ſo neither may we call Good Evil; this weakneſs, as it is evil ſo it is miſchievous too, it leads us into Sin; we may ſometimes ſin for fear of Sin, and it brings us into Bondage; we may ſay concerning this fear of Sin, as the Apoſtle doth concerning the fear of Death, Heb. 2.15. There are ſome, who through fear of [Sin] are all their life time ſubject to Bondage.
Of the two, it's much a leſs evil than the other extream; better a ſcrupulous Conſcience than a diſſolute Conſcience; better ſtrain at a Gnat than ſwallow a Camel; there's leſs danger in being frighted at a Bug-bear, than not afraid of a Bear; whatever there be in Nicety, it's a vertue in compariſon of Licentiouſneſs! yet this Fear, this groundleſs & miſtaken Fear, is an evil and to be ſuppreſſed.
There is a Fear which is Mens great wickedneſs; a Fear of Religion and Righteouſneſs; a Fear of the Labours and Severities of Religion, and of thoſe Sufferings it may expoſe them to. Sometimes Men Fear the Yoke of Chriſt; they dare not be his Diſciples, his Yoke they doubt will be too heavy for their Necks. To be tied up ſo ſhort from every Sin, from all their Carnal Liberties and Pleaſures to be held ſo cloſe to painful Duty, and to ſuch conſtant Duty, the foreſight of it ſcares them back from Chriſt, they dare not be his Diſciples. I would be a Chriſtian, but I am afraid how I ſhall ever be able to bear his Yoke.
But moſtly they Fear the Croſs of Chriſt; they have heard what Chriſt expects, Matth. 16.24. If any will come after me, let him take up his Croſs; and they ſee that it ſo falls out, that no ſooner is the Yoke taken upon the Neck, but the Croſs is preſently laid on upon the Back. He that will be a ſincere Chriſtian muſt be a ſuffering Chriſtian. All that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer Perſecution, 2 Tim. 3.12. Muſt they ſo? Then ſerve Chriſt who dare for me. They dare not be Followers of the Lamb, for fear of being a prey to the Wolves.
There is a Fear which is Mens Puniſhment; the Fear of the Guilty, a guilty Heart is a terror to it ſelf, a Magor-miſſabib, Fear round about, and makes almoſt every thing elſe a terror to it. Prov. 28.1. The wicked flee when no Man purſues, his guilt ſtill dogs him at the heels, the terrors of the Lord fall on him, and horror and aſtoniſhment take hold of him. All theſe Fears are mens miſery; and it may be ſaid, with reſpect to theſe, Happy is the Man that never feareth.] But what is the Bleſſed Fear? or, what is there in it? In ſhort it is this,] It is ſuch on averſation of the Heart from all manner of future Evils, whether of Sin or of Miſery, which we apprehend our ſelves in danger of, as puts the Soul upon making the beſt Proviſion it can for its ſecurity againſt them.] The Matter or Object of this Fear is Sin, together with all the Fruits of it. The Form or proper Nature of it, is an averſion, or ſtarting back, or ſhrinking in from it. The Effect of it, is to put the Soul to its ſhifts for its own ſecurity againſt it.
There are implyed or included in it theſe following Particulars.
1. There is Ʋnderſtanding in it. Pſal. 111.10. The fear of God is the beginning of Wiſdom; a good Ʋnderſtanding have they that do it. They are wiſe and underſtanding Men that Fear. As we Love not, ſo neither do we Fear, but whom or what we have ſome apprehenſion of; our Affections follow our Apprehenſions; as our Love (we cannot love but what we apprehend to be good) ſo our Fear, we cannot fear but what we apprehend to be evil. Our miſtakes are the ground of the inordinate workings of our Affections; when we apprehend that to be good which is not good, we love what we ſhould not love; when we apprehend that to be evil which is not evil, we fear what we ſhould not fear; when we apprehend that to be good which is evil, we love what we ſhould fear; and when we apprehend that to be evil which is good, we fear what we ſhould love.
The reaſon of our ſinful Fear is our Ignorance. Ignorance both cauſes us to fear when we ſhould not, and leaves us without fear of what we ſhould fear.
1. Ignorance is the reaſon why we fear what we ſhould not. How is it that there is ſo much Fear of Men in the World? Why, it is, becauſe we underſtand them not; what a vain thing, what a weak thing they are, how ſhort their power is, and how little 'tis that Man can do.
Did we know more, how great the Power of God is, how terrible the Wrath of God is, ſure there would be more fear of God in the World: And did we know how little there is in the Power of Man, and in the Wrath of Man, we ſhould eaſe our ſelves of much of that Carnal Fear which now torments our Spirits. Iſa. 2.22. Ceaſe ye from Man, whoſe Breath is in his Noſtrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of? [Ceaſe ye from Man] as from truſting in him, ſo from fearing him, [for wherein is he to be accounted of?] How little is it that he can do for or againſt you? There's little help in him, and there's little hurt that he can do. Men pretend to be great, and make great boaſts of their Power. So did Pilate to Chriſt, John 19.10. Knoweſt thou not that I have power to Crucifie thee, and I have power to Releaſe thee? What, art thou ſo ſullen and ſo ſtubborn that thou wilt not ſpeak to me? Conſider Man the Power of Liberty and Bonds, the Power of Life and Death are in my hands. Doſt thou not know me? Yes I know thee well enough, ſayes Chriſt; Thou haſt no Power but what is given thee, and therefore limited thee from Above. It's for thoſe that know thee not to fear thee, I know thee well enough.
2. Mens Ignorance is the reaſon why they fear not what they ſhould fear. Why is it that the ungodly fear not S n? O it's becauſe they know it not. Pſal. 14.4. Have the workers of Iniquity no knowledg? Sure enough they have none, for they eat up my People as they eat Bread; ſuch Morſels would ſcald their Mouths, they would not dare to be ſuch Perſecutors and Deſtroyers of the People of God, they would be afraid to touch them if they did but know what they did.
How bold are Sinners upon Sin? How venturouſly do they run on? They Lie, they Swear, they commit Adultery, they Covet, they Defraud, they Oppreſs, they Perſecute. But how is it that they are not afraid to do thus? O! they know not what they do.
They are the Men of Underſtanding, that Fear to tranſgreſs. Chriſtians, thoſe whoſe Minds are enlightned, dare not do as others do; they ſee what Sin is, they ſee it to be an unclean thing, odious and abominable in the ſight of God; they ſee it to be a dangerous and deadly thing. They know God, and thereby underſtand Sin, which is contrary to him. They know the kindneſs of God, and the terrors of the Lord, and ſee that Sin is an unworthineſs, and abuſing of kindneſs, and diſobliging of goodneſs, that makes a forfeit of the Divine Love, and expoſes to his Wrath and Indignation.
They know the worth of a Soul; they have learn'd from their Lord, Matth. 16.26. that the whole World is not a price for it, neither ſufficient to be its Ranſom, nor to recompence its loſs. They live in the Inviſible World, and have taken a view both of that life which is the reward of the Righteous, and of that Death which is the recompence of the Sinners.
They ſee that Sin is the loſs and the death of the Soul, the only poiſon that can kill that immortal part; by this alone Immortality is ſwallowed up of Death. They underſtand that ſin, as it is the Worm that gnaweth at the root of all their hopes for hereafter, ſo it is the Wormwood which imbitters all their Comforts here; this is the Ruſt that cats out all their Treaſures, the Moth that frets out all their Garments, the Stain that marrs all their Beauty: In fine, this is it that hath fill'd the World with vanity and vexation of Spirit, and Hell with torment. And hence it is that they fear it and fly from it. Doſt thou not fear Sin? Sure thou doſt not know it. O what a light thing doth the World make of it to ſin againſt God! how open do our hearts lie to it! how eaſily doth it beſet us! we are ſurpriz'd by it every day and hour, Sin lies at the door, lies in wait for us; in our Fields, in our Houſes, at our Tables, in our Cloſets; and how often doth it take us and carry us away for Captives? and ſtill we make nothing of it; neither feeling the miſchief it has done us, nor fearing thoſe ruines which it is further bringing upon us. We can talk of the evil of Sin, of the folly of it, of the filthineſs of it, but we cannot tremble at it; ſure we do not know it, whatever we talk. The World would be all up in Arms againſt this Enemy, or elſe betake themſelves to their heels, running away from it, were it throughly underſtood.
2. There is Faith in this Fear. It is but little that we can ſee of the evil of Sin; our underſtandings at the beſt have much dimneſs upon them; the weakneſs of our ſight is helped out by Faith. Faith helps us to ſee with God's Eyes, it looks on all things as God looks on them. The Lord hath told us what he ſees in Sin, what a Snare it is, what a Serpent it is, what a Plague it is, and what a Womb it is, big with all manner of Miſeries and Miſchiefs, which it's bringing forth upon us. God's Mouth is Eyes to Faith; by Faith we underſtand that it is even as it hath been told us of the Lord.
Faith helps us to a preſent view of Sin, and to a foreſight of all that is behind; of all thoſe Floods that this Serpent is caſting out of his Mouth to devour the Soul; that Woe and that Wrath it's bringing upon Sinners, both here and hereafter. Future Evils that depend not neceſſarily on certain Cauſes, are no otherwiſe clearly to be diſcerned but by the Eye of Faith. And from this Faith this Fear ariſes; as the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 4.13. We have believed and therefore have we ſpoken; ſo may it alſo be ſaid, We have believed and therefore fear. Heb. 11.7. [By Faith] Noah being warned of God of things not ſeen as yet, was moved with Fear. Sinner, art thou yet ſecure? is the Evil of Sin yet unſeen by thee? and thereupon is it but a light thing to thee? Canſt thou make a mock of Sin? Canſt thou make a ſport of Sin? canſt thou take thy reſt in Sin, and make a Tuſh at that Wrath that Sin is bringing upon thee? Believe God; What is it that the Lord hath ſpoken of it? God ſayes, It is an evil and bitter thing, Jer. 2.19. A Root bearing Gall and Wormwood, Deut. 29.18. Like that Star which fell from Heaven, Rev. 8.11. whoſe Name was Wormwood, and which turned the Waters into Wormwood, of which Men died becauſe they were ſo bitter. God ſays, It is an heavy thing which hath brought the whole Creation into Bondage, under which it groaneth and travelleth in pain, Rom. 8.22. God ſayes, The Soul that ſinneth ſhall die, Ezek. 18.20. Though the Devil ſayes, He ſhall not die; though Mens hearts ſay, It is a matter of nothing; and becauſe it is a common thing, count it but a very ſmall thing, and can flout at others Fears. Yet God ſayes, They are Fools that make a mock of Sin, Prov. 14 19. And God ſayes thus, not only concerning ſome particular Sins, the moſt notorious, and thoſe of the deepeſt die, Murthers, Adulteries, Blaſphemies; the World will ſay the ſame of theſe, He that doth ſuch things is worthy of death. But God ſpeaks it of Sin in Specie, the whole kind of it, little or great, the leaſt ſinful words, even vain words, the leaſt ſinful thoughts; yea, even of Sin in ſemine, the inward brood and ſpawn of Sin that lies in the heart, the evil diſpoſitions and inclinations of the Soul, which have not broken forth into Act; the word is general; Rom. 6.23. The wages of Sin is Death. Believe God, believe and tremble.
3. There is Love in it. This Fear hath love lying in the bottom of it, from whence it ariſes; both the love of God and goodneſs, and that natural and innocent ſelf-love which God hath planted in us, and it is not our Sin but our Duty to maintain.
There is a Fear concerning which the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 John 4.18. Perfect Love caſteth out Fear; but of this it may be ſaid, ſincere Love worketh Fear. Fear is Love's Servant, whoſe Office it is to preſerve what and whom we love, from being offended, hurt, or loſt. He that loves, will fear to loſe or grieve, what and whom he loves. Doſt thou love God? thou wilt fear how thou diſpleaſe or offend God. Doſt thou love thy Soul? thou wilt fear to loſe it. As in good things temporal, Doſt thou love thy Friend? thou wilt fear to diſoblige him. Doſt thou love thine Eſtate, or thy Name, or thy Health? thou wilt fear what-ever may prejudice thee in them. So in good things Spiritual, our Love will ſet our Fear to be a guard about them. It cannot be, but where there's Love and an hazard of loſing what we love, there will be Fear.
Sinners are without Fear about the Matters of God and of their Souls. Tell them of loſing God, they fear it not; Why ſo? Why if they do, they love not God ſo well, but they can ſpare him well enough. Tell them of the danger of diſpleaſing and offending God; It moves them not, they bear him no ſuch good will as to fear to grieve him. An upright and honeſt Heart, and a good Conſcience, they have no ſuch regard to it, as thence to be withdrawn from any courſe that may hinder or deprive them of it.
'Tis to little purpoſe to reaſon thus with them. Take heed of Sin, 'twill rob thee of thy God, 'twill defile thy Conſcience, 'twill diſgrace thy Profeſſion, 'twill break thy Peace: This hath little weight with them, nor ever will, till they have more love for Spiritual Things.
'Twill hardly move them to tell them, your Souls will be loſt, farewel to all your hopes of everlaſting Life, if you take not heed of Sin; they love their Luſts better than their Souls.
They love this World, they love their Money, and their Eaſe, and their Carnal Liberty; and hereby it appears they do, they are afraid of whatever may prejudice them in theſe things. In times of Perſecution for Righteouſneſs-ſake, they Fear Religion as the Devil, they Fear Holineſs more than Hell, they dare not be Godly for fear their Righteouſneſs ſhould be their ruine.
Our Love ſets all our Affections on work. What we love, if it be abſent, we deſire it; if it be poſſible to be had, we hope for it; if we have it, we joy; if we loſe it, we grieve; if we be in danger of loſing it, we Fear.
Friend, Thou ſayeſt thou loveſt God, thy Soul, a good Conſcience; what; and in ſuch daily danger of loſing all, and yet art not afraid? Thou ſayeſt thou loveſt not the World; thou haſt an Eſtate in the World, and art eagerly hunting after more, and wilt make any ſhift thou canſt to ſecure and increaſe it, but yet thou hopeſt thou doſt not ſet thy heart upon it; But why then art thou ſo often in Fears? Thou art afraid of Chriſt, afraid of Conſcience, thou dar'ſt not be an open Diſciple, a bold Profeſſor, becauſe thou knoweſt not what it may coſt thee; and doſt thou yet ſay thou loveſt not the World? Thy fear, Man, of what thou thinkeſt will prejudice thy worldly Intereſt, this Fear is a ſign thou loveſt.
The Saints Fear Sin, yea and all temptations to it: Why ſo? O 'tis becauſe they love their God and their Souls.
4. There is in it an averſation from evil, both from Sin, and all the Fruits of Sin. The three former Particulars, are the cauſes of this Fear, but this is in the Nature of it. The Underſtanding diſcovers ſin, 1. To be an Evil, a corruptive Evil, that will defile and pollute the Soul; a deſtructive Evil, that will undoe and deſtroy it. 2. To be an evil hardly to be eſcaped. It ſees the Soul to be in danger of it every day and every hour; Evil as Evil, is not the Object of Fear, but Evil that we are in danger of. Evil as Evil, is the Object of Hatred, not ſo of Fear; there's no Fear of Sin in Heaven, becauſe there's no danger of it. To hear of the Plague, or Sword, or Famine, or Earthquakes, or Fire in the Indies, or any other remote parts of the World, this doth not move Fear, it's far enough off us we are in no danger of it. But when the Plague is in the Town, when the next Houſe is on Fire, then we are ſtartled. 3. To be an Evil not to be endured, an intolerable Evil: Hereupon the Heart ſhrinks back from it, and is in pain, till it can be ſecured againſt it.
5. There is foreſight in it. Fear is of future Evil, apprehended to be coming on; Prov. 22.3. A prudent Man foreſeeth the Evil. This prudent Man is the very ſame with this fearing Man, as appears by the next words, [and hideth himſelf] 'tis Fear that makes Men hide.
A bold Sinner is blind and cannot ſee afar off, 2 Pet. 1.9. foreign, pur-blind, that can ſee things very near, but through the weakneſs of his Eyes cannot ſee at a diſtance, he is but ſhortſighted. Sinners are Men for the preſent, and they look not to what comes after. But ſayes the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 4.18. We look on the things that are not ſeen; as on the Good things, ſo on the Evil not ſeen.
He that Fears God, ſees what's out of ſight to the blear-ey'd World. He ſees Evils in the beginning of them, he ſees Midnight in the Evening, he ſees the Winter in the Autumn; He ſees Evils in the cauſes of them, he ſees the Storms in the Cloud, the Birth in the Conception.
James 1.15. Luſt when it hath conceived bringeth forth Sin, and Sin when it is finiſhed bringeth forth Death. What is there in a Thought? What is there in a Luſt, or an evil Motion? Who would fright himſelf with Fancies ſaith the Pur-blind World? I, but what will this Thought or this Luſt bring forth? Who knows, ſaith the Fearing Soul, what a numerous Brood may ſpring forth out of this pregnant Womb? Luſt when it hath conceived brings forth Sin; any Sin, the worſt that can be imagined, multitudes of Sins, all manner of Iniquities. Luſt will bring forth Sin, and what will Sin bring forth? Why, Sin when it is finiſhed bringeth forth Death. A prudent Man foreſeeth all this, ſees Sin's laſt in its firſt, its Fruits in its Root; he ſees the product and iſſues of things that do appear; the burning down of the Houſe, in the firſt Spark that kindles in the Thatch; in the entrance of the Thief in at the Door, he ſees all the rifling and bloodſhed that afterwards follows.
Sinner, how is it that thou art ſo ſecure? Friend, what ſeeſt thou? Some it may be will anſwer as the Prophet's Servant when he firſt went up to Carmel, 1 Kin. 18.43. I ſee nothing. Others will anſwer, as he did at his laſt going up, I ſee a Cloud, but it's but a little one no bigger than a Man's hand. But the Prophet ſaw a great Rain in that little Cloud. Sinner, thou that yet ſeeſt nothing, nothing to trouble thee, nothing to make thee afraid, look again and again, even unto ſeven times: Doſt thou yet ſee a Cloud riſing? do not ſay it is a little one; take heed, if thy foreſight do not, thy ſenſe will quickly tell thee what a Storm there is in it.
Chriſtian, how is it that [thou] art ſo ſecure? where be thine eyes? art thou blind alſo? Doſt thou not ſee the Spark in the Thatch? Doſt thou not ſee the Thief at the Door? Haſt thou a Treaſure within? haſt thou a God, a Conſcience, a Soul? haſt thou Grace, haſt thou Peace, haſt thou Hope? And doſt thou not ſee the Thief breaking in, and the Fire breaking out, that Luſt that is in thine Heart, and the Temptations that are at the Door, ready to ſteal away or burn up every good thing thou haſt? How is it that there is no Cry heard within thee, Fire, Fire; Thieves, Thieves? Look to thy ſelf, ſave thy ſelf, O my Soul, from the miſchiefs and miſeries that are coming upon thee.
We may give a Judgment of what Sin is bringing forth, by obſerving what it hath brought forth: Fear will conclude, that what hath been may be; It's like to be my caſe which hath been the caſe of others. What hath Sin done upon the World? How hath it filled them with all Ʋnrighteouſneſs, Fornication, Covetouſneſs, Wickedneſs, Maliciouſneſs, Envy, Murder, Debate, Deceit, Malignity, &c. Rom. 1.29. What Fools, and Bruits, and Stocks hath it made them, fit for nothing but to be Fuel for the Eternal Fire.
And what hath it done even upon Chriſtians, or the Profeſſors of Chriſtianity? How low hath it held many of them? ſo low, that they can hardly tell whether they are alive or dead; and thoſe that have ſeem'd to be gotten up a little higher, how often hath it pull'd them down again, even to Death's Door. Some Profeſſors it hath ſlain out-right. The Chriſtianity they ſeem'd to have is dead and buried. O Friends, when you ſee what Sin and the Temptations thereof have done to others, is it not to be feared what it may do to you? May I not ſay to you, as Peter did to Saphira, (if you look not the more carefully to it) Acts 5.19. The Feet of thoſe that have buried thy Husband, are at the Door to carry thee out. The ſame Sins, the ſame Temptations that have ſlain your Friends and buried them, behold their feet are at the Door waiting for your Souls alſo. Open your eyes a little, and look who there are round about you; Behold the Pleaſures of Sin waiting for you, behold the Gains of Unrighteouſneſs waiting, behold your Carnal Friends and Sinful Companions, behold the Perſecutions, and Scoffs, and Scorns, the Bonds, and Impriſonments that are waiting at the Door; and what wait they for, but to carry out your Souls alſo dead, to thoſe that you have ſeen ſlain before you? Haſt thou ſeen what hath become of others, and doſt not therein foreſee what may become of thee, and canſt thou yet be ſecure?
Chriſtians, you are Men of like Paſſions, and ſubject to the ſame Temptations with other Men; there's the ſame Pride, the ſame Luſt after the World, the ſame love of Carnal Pleaſures, the ſame fears of Fleſhly Sufferings rooted in your Natures: And do you not feel theſe Evil Roots ſometimes budding, theſe Fires kindling? And have you not often ſuffered loſs by them? Yet you hope you have a little Faith, ſome Love to Chriſt, ſome Hope towards God, ſome Conſcience of Sin, ſome Affection for Things Above; let Luſt alone a-while, venture on upon Temptations a-while; and O what leanneſs of Soul, yea, what Sickneſs, yea what Death may it bring upon you! What Carcaſſes may theſe living Souls quickly become? Lift up your eyes and look before you, foreſee the Evil before you be ſurprized and ſwallowed up by it.
6. It hath forecaſt in it. Fear will make to beware, 'twill put us to our ſhifts, 'twill ſet us a conſidering, and contriving, and caſting about, how we may beſt eſcape the danger we are in. Fear hath care going along with it, 2 Cor. 7.11. The Fearleſs ones, are the careleſs and the heedleſs ones. A fearing Chriſtian will be a circumſpect Chriſtian; he looks to his Steps, and takes heed to his Wayes that he ſin not, Pſal. 39.1. He will keep his Enemy in his Eye, that he fall not upon him at unawares. He is tender of tranſgreſſing, and therefore keeps his Watch, and ſtands upon his Guard continually. He ſees he walks among Temptations and Snares, and therefore looks diligently to his Foot that it be not taken in the Snare. He ſees how looſe and heedleſs Chriſtians do ſmart for their folly; he ſees that Prevention is better than Repentance; and therefore though he will repent when he is fallen, yet he would rather make as little Work as may be for Repentance; Rejoycing that he hath been kept from Iniquity, he prizes at a higher rate than repenting of Iniquity.
A Prudent Man is a Provident Man. I ſee, ſaith the Fearing Soul, I ſee I am in danger; my Soul is in danger, my Life is in danger, I ſtand in Jeopardy every hour. Evil is before me, and it may come upon me ere I am aware. And what if it ſhould come upon me? Put the caſe I ſhould be overtaken, overtaken of Sin, overtaken of Wrath, how bitter will then my Folly be unto me? Nay, there's no [may be] in the Matter; Evil will come upon me, and I ſhall not eſcape, if I look not the better to it. But is there no way to prevent it? Is there no ſecurity from the Snare, no refuge from the Storm, no ſhadow from the Heat? Muſt I fall? muſt I ſin, and be miſerable, and periſh, and is there no remedy? How may I eſcape? What's to be done to ſave my ſelf from evil? Theſe are the fore-caſtings of the Fearing Soul. And when they have found him out his Way, they hold him to it; when they have diſcovered a Refuge, they haſten him in. The Man-ſlayer needed no other Monitor, the Avenger of Blood at his Back, and the Fear in his Heart, put him to his Heels to haſten to the City of Refuge.
Heb. 11.7. By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not ſeen as yet, (of a Deluge or Flood of Waters) moved with Fear, prepared an Ark to the ſaving of his Houſe. Mark it, his Faith moved his Fear, and his Fear put him on providing an Ark againſt the Waters. A Flood cometh to waſh away wickedneſs from the Earth, and to drown all the Sinners thereof. This Faith foreſaw an hundred and twenty years before it came; and thereupon Fear cries out, O for an Ark to ſave from the Waters! It's no time to lie ſtill and ſleep, it's no time to ſit eating and drinking, to be marrying and giving in marriage; an Ark, an Ark muſt be prepared to ſave from the Flood.
Let me here by the way put in a word or two to this Age and Nation.
Hath God ſaid nothing? Doth Faith ſee nothing of a Flood coming upon us? Is there ſuch a Deluge of Sin amongſt us; and doth not that propheſie to us of a Deluge of Wrath? Lift up your Eyes Chriſtians, ſtand and look through the Land, Eaſtward and Weſtward, Northward and Southward, and tell me what you ſee. Behold a Flood cometh, a Flood of Sin is already broken forth upon us, the Fountains of the great Deeps are broken up, and the Windows of Hell are opened, and is there not a mighty Stream of Iniquity running down, even from all Parties among us? From one Party, the openly profane, Behold a Flood of Atheiſm and Infidelity; amongſt thoſe that ſtill bear the Name of Chriſt upon their Foreheads, what multitudes are there that are Pagans in Heart and Life? A Flood of Oaths, and Curſes, and Blaſphemies; Are there not many Men become like that Beaſt that aroſe out of the Sea, Rev. 13.1. having the Name of Blaſphemy upon their Heads? A Flood of filthy Luſts and ſtupendious Adulteries; What a new Sodom is there ſprung up out of the Aſhes of the old, and hath not the Younger out-done the Deeds of the Elder? A Flood of Fury and Rage is broken forth, ſuch a Flood as the Serpent caſt out of his Mouth after the Woman, Rev. 12.15. Perſecutions raiſed upon thoſe that ſeparate themſelves from the filthineſs of the Land.
And beſides theſe Streams that come by the way of the Wilderneſs, behold another Stream that riſes even in the Garden of the Lord; the Waters of the Sanctuary are become a muddy Stream and a troubled Sea, that caſts up Mire and Dirt. A mixed Stream comes forth, Diviſions, Contentions, Quarrellings, Hereſies, Hypocriſies, Unrighteouſneſs, Unmercifulneſs, with but a very little Truth and Righteouſneſs among. The Waters of Grace and Peace, the ſtill Waters are but low Waters, and run ſo ſoftly, as if the Fountain were quite dryed up; and inſtead thereof, Pride, Haughtineſs, Headineſs and Uncharitableneſs, how do they ſwell amongſt us, and riſe higher every day?
In this Flood of Sin, how eaſie is it for him that hath eyes, to ſee a Flood of Wrath even running in upon us to conſume us from off the Earth: But all this while, where be the Noahs amongſt us? What preparations is there making for an Ark againſt the Flood? How is it that we are ſo ſecure? There be many amongſt us that are crying, A Flood, a Flood cometh, can our Land any longer bear the Iniquities of it? Can the Soul of God but be avenged of ſuch a People as this? But how few of us are there heard crying, An Ark, an Ark, to ſave us from the Flood? And of thoſe that cry an Ark, how very few are there that are preparing an Ark? How is it that we are not every one ſhifting for our ſelves, and hiding our ſelves from the Evil to come? I do not mean ſhifting, to hide our ſelves by our Wits, much leſs by our wickedneſs; wo to ſuch ſhifters who make ſhipwrack of Faith and a good Conſcience, to ſave themſelves from drowning, who choak themſelves in the Mud, to ſave themſelves from the Waters. But how is it that there is no more care taken to hide our ſelves in God, to imbarque with Chriſt, and to lodg our ſelves in the Ark of the Covenant of God? What hiding place have we but Chriſt? What Ark can we have, that will bear us up above the Waters, but the Ark of the Covenant? there we may be ſafe; in Chriſt, and out of danger; in Covenant with God, and out of fear of the Wrath of God.
How is it that there is no more enquiring, Am I in Chriſt? am I in Covenant? have I broken my Covenant with Death, and diſannulled my Agreement with Hell? Am I no longer in League with my Sins and this evil World, have I broken with them all, and am I gotten within the Bond of the Covenant of God? If I think I have, yet am I not miſtaken? Many Souls have been miſtaken, have thought themſelves within, who have yet dyed without; and am not I miſtaken alſo? Is the thing ſure? Is Chriſt mine indeed?
How is it that there is no more asking the way to the City of Refuge? How may I get into Chriſt? Or how may I know whether I be in Chriſt or not? O how is it that we do not awaken our ſlumbring Spirits, and call upon our careleſs Hearts! Come on, O my lingring Soul, make haſte, get thee up to the Rock; to Sanctuary, to Sanctuary; Awake thou Sleeper, careſt thou not that thou periſh? Come my Soul, enter thou into thy Chamber; hide thy ſelf till the Indignation be over-paſt.
How is it that there is no more ſuch care taken? Are we ſo ſolicitous as we ſhould be about this matter? How is it with [you] Friends? Are you buſie in conſidering, and fore-caſting, and enquiring how you may eſcape? What is it that your fear of a Deluge hath put you upon, to provide your ſelves againſt it? Is there any more circumſpection and heedfulneſs in your goings? any more tenderneſs of Sin? Are you throwing off thoſe weights that will ſink you with the multitude? Are you buſie in breaking down your Sins, and building up your ſelves, in hope of the Salvation of God? Behold how generally our other Matters do ſtill take up our Time and Thoughts; we are building of Houſes, and planting of Vineyards, and Buying and Selling, and Marrying and giving in Marriage, ſeldom giving our ſelves leave to think of a Flood that's coming to take us all away. O fear, and let your fear ſet you on work to ſave your ſelves from Miſery and Ruine.
The fooliſh World laugh at this Fear; What jealous-headed melancholick Souls are theſe? What Dreams and Fancies do they fright themſelves withal? And ſo did the old World doubtleſs laugh at Noah, to ſee him ſuch a Fanatick to amuſe himſelf and others with ſuch a ſtrange conceit of a Flood, and to go build an Ark to ſave himſelf from that Dream of a Deluge. What laughing and mocking think you was there then amongſt them, to hear this Preacher of Righteouſneſs to Preach, and prepare for ſuch a ſtrange incredible thing? Such mockings are there of the Men of this World, at the fears and preparations of the Saints, againſt the Judgments of God. I, but when the Ark was finiſhed, and Noah and his Family gotten in, and the Flood came in earneſt; when they ſaw the Rain pouring down, the Waters ſwelling, the Seas roaring, and tumbling in, in whole Mountains of Waters upon them; where was the laugh of the World then? What a cry was their laugh then turned to? Let Sinners laugh at laſt when they ſhall ſee all theſe things come upon them, when the overflowing Scourge cometh, and they ſhall then ſee the derided Saints gotten into the Ark, and themſelves left out to periſh in the Waters.
Well, by this time you may ſee what this Fear is, or who is this Man that feareth. The Man of Underſtanding, that ſo knows God, his Goodneſs and Severity; that ſo knows Sin, its Malignity, and the Miſery that it expoſes to; that ſo believes God, that hath ſuch a love for God and his own Soul, and ſuch an averſation from Sin; that ſo foreſees the danger he is in, of running into Sin, and falling into Miſery, that he wiſely and warily looks to himſelf, keeps himſelf from Iniquity, and hides himſelf from thoſe Miſchiefs and Miſeries, which the reſt of the World fooliſhly venture upon, and are deſtroyed by in the end. This is the Man that feareth, this is the happy Man.
2. What is that bleſſedneſs that is pronounced to him that feareth? Happy is the Man that feareth. To Happineſs two things are required.
1. Sufficiency.
2. Security.
1. Sufficiency. He that is in want is in miſery; what-ever he hath, how greatly ſoever he abounds; yet if he hath not all that he needs, yea, all that he deſires; In the fulneſs of his Sufficiency he is in ſtraits, The pain of what he deſires and hath not, imbitters the pleaſures of what he hath. No Sufficiency, no Satisfaction, ſhort of Satisfaction, ſo far ſhort of Happineſs. He muſt have all things that would find reſt in any thing; He that poſſeſſes what-ever he can deſire, that's an happy Man, only to this muſt be added,
2. Security. What we have to day, may be loſt to morrow. He that hath moſt, and holds it by ſuch an uncertain Tenure, is ſo far from finding reſt in what he hath, that he may be in greater perplexity than he that hath nothing. Therefore can there be no happineſs in any thing under the Sun; for beſides the inſufficiency of theſe worldly things, (the whole Earth is too little to fill the Soul, all this great World is not enough to fill the little World, Man) but beſides this, were they ſufficient, what ſecurity can be had for the continuance of them to us? They are all but caſualties, they come and go, they have all their Wings, and who knows how ſoon they may take their flight? At the beſt, The things that are ſeen are but Temporal, 2 Cor. 4.18. There muſt be permanence & durableneſs in the matter of our Happineſs. The durable Riches, the enduring Subſtance, an Inheritance that fadeth not away, and there muſt be ſecurity againſt their being loſt or taken away.
Now this is the happineſs of him that feareth, he hath ſufficient, and what he hath is in ſafety.
1. He hath a ſufficiency. This Fear, as appears from what hath been ſpoken, is a Religious Fear; the Fear of God is ſometimes taken for all Religion; here only for one particular Branch of it, yet ſuch as argues the Truth of Religion, and intitles the Soul to the whole income and revenue of Religion. He that knows, believes, and loves God, and therefore fears and flies from Sin and Wrath, is certainly a Godly Man, and ſhall have his Inheritance with the Juſt.
The firſt Sermon that ever we read, that Chriſt Preached, begins with an enumeration of the Beatitudes of this very Man. He ſhall inherit the Earth, he ſhall be comforted, he ſhall be filled, he ſhall obtain Mercy, he ſhall ſee God, his is the Kingdom of Heaven. All theſe Graces that are there mentioned, Poverty of Spirit, Purity in Heart, hunger after Righteouſneſs, Meekneſs, &c. are the particular Qualifications of this very Man. And we may write down after that Copy, Bleſſed is the Man that feareth, for his is the Kingdom of God; Bleſſed is the Man that feareth, for he ſhall be comforted, he ſhall obtain Mercy, he ſhall ſee God. This is the Man who ſhall inherit all things, Rev. 21.7. and ſhall want nothing, Pſal. 34.10. He is provided for, for Soul and for Body, for this Life and that to come. The Promiſe is his Portion, and in the Promiſe there is all things. There's Bread in the Promiſe, and Cloaths, and Houſes, and Lands, and Friends; there's Grace and Glory in the Promiſe. And to have an Inheritance in the Promiſe, is to him as good as to have it in hand, and in ſome reſpects better. Thou art a Fool, Soul, who ſayeſt with the Prodigal, Give me my Portion; 'tis better where 'tis, God will look better to thee, than thou to thy ſelf.
2. He hath Security. All that he hath is in ſafety. He that hath moſt, and is in danger of loſing all, as (I ſaid before) is in greater perplexity than he that hath nothing to loſe. The Poor Man ſleeps in more quiet than he that hath his Houſe full of Treaſure, if he be in danger of the Robber. Enough is not enough, 'twill never content whilſt there is hazard of loſing all. The Man that feareth hath enough, and all he hath is in ſafety; Prov. 1.33. Whoſo hearkneth to me, ſhall dwell ſafely, he ſhall be quiet from [fear] of evil. He that feareth ſhall be moſt free from fear, the Fear of God will fortifie him againſt the Fears of the World.
Particularly conſider theſe two things.
1. The Matters wherein his Happineſs lies are ſure. The Mercies of God are ſure Mercies, that will neither fade away, nor can be taken away. If there be uncertainty in what a Chriſtian hath of this World, he is well enough notwithſtanding; theſe are not his Happineſs, he may be as happy in his greateſt penury, as in his greateſt plenty. This is eaſily ſaid, O that it were but ſoundly believed! What a calm and ſerene ſtate might Chriſtians then live in in the greateſt tempeſts.
The Matters of a Chriſtians happineſs are ſure and certain Things. The portion of the World is not capable of being made ſure. As one ſayes well; The World flies,Mr. Gouge. ſometimes it pitches upon one Family, and then how happy do they account themſelves; ſhortly after it takes its flight thence, and away to another, and thence to another, and another; and who knows whither? Come to a Family this year, and behold as Job 21.10. Their Bull gendereth and faileth not, their Cow calveth and caſteth not her Calf. Their Fig-Tree bloſſoms, their Vine flouriſheth; there are Flocks in the Fold, there are Herds in the Stall, and then they are all merry and at reſt: They ſend forth their little Ones as a Flock, and their Children dance; they are cloathed with Purple and Scarlet, and fare ſumptuouſly every day; they take the Timbrel and the Harp, and rejoyce at the ſound of the Organ. Come to the very ſame Family a few years after, and all's gone, and then their Purple is turned into Sack-cloth, their Muſick into Mourning, and their Mirth into Heavineſs.
The World runs upon Wheels. The Wheel of Providence is ever turning; now one's at the top of the Wheel, and then another comes up, and he that was juſt now at the top, by and by tumbles and the Wheel runs over him. How often do Rich Men break, and Poor Men get up for a while in their rooms, and then tumble down after them? To day then haſt an Eſtate, and dwelleſt at eaſe in thine own cieled Houſe; but who can tell where he may find thou to morrow? To day thou liveſt, and art in health, and nothing ails thee; to morrow thou mayeſt die, the Grave may cover thee, and Worms may be feeding upon thee. Such an uncertain World this is, and at ſuch uncertainties are the things thereof, and there's no preventing of it. It cannot be otherwiſe, the wiſeſt, the warieſt, the moſt provident and induſtrious Man in the World, do what he can, can never be at a certainty for two dayes together. The Thief, the Moth, the Fire, Sickneſs and Death, may quickly divide betwixt him and his portion, and take away either him from it, or it from him. But the Treaſure of the Man that fears God, is a Treaſure that faileth not, an enduring Subſtance.
2. His very Fear is a means to keep what he hath in ſafety. Jer. 32.40. I will put my Fear in their hearts that they ſhall not depart from me. Though when God hath hold of us, he will never loſe his hold; yet he holds us by certain Cords, which ſhould they break or give off, we ſhould certainly be gone and be loſt. One of theſe Cords is Faith, 1 Pet. 1.5. We are kept by the mighty Power of God, through Faith, unto Salvation. Another of theſe Cords is this of Fear. I will put my Fear into their hearts that they ſhall not depart from me. Whereupon we may ſay alſo, We are kept by the mighty Power of God [through Fear] unto Salvation. God makes uſe of our Fear of loſing all, to prevent our loſs. As if we ſhould ceaſe to believe, ſo if we ſhould ceaſe to Fear, we ſhould be undone at laſt. Upon a little looſening of this Cord, how often do we ſuffer great loſs? When we take head, and grow bold and venturous; when we do forget our danger, and ſo lay by our Armour, how much miſchief do we run our ſelves into? Haſt thou never loſt thy Peace, and all ſenſe of the love of God? Haſt thou never loſt thy Affections, and all thy delight in God? Haſt thou never fallen by thy folly into Sin, into a vain and carnal frame, into a dead and barren ſtate, and thereby provoked the Lord to withdraw and hide his Face from thee, and been caſt back in the ſtate of thy Soul? Doſt thou not often ſee this to be thy caſe? thou winkeſt if thou doſt not; why, thou ſhouldſt not have been ſo venturous, thou ſhould'ſt have feared in time, and all this miſchief might have been prevented. Whilſt Fear ſtands Centinel, the Enemy hath the leſs hope of making an Invaſion upon thee. But where this Fear is not, that Soul dwells like the wealthy Nation, Jer. 49.31. without care, and having neither Gates nor Bars, and ſo becomes a booty and a ſpoil to the Enemy. Where Care is the Gate, and Fear hath bolted the Gate, there all is in ſafety.
This Fear may expoſe and make more obnoxious to temporal Evils; How much do Chriſtians often loſe by their Fear? They loſe their Friends, and loſe their Eſtates and their Liberties, and ſometimes their Lives, upon this very account, that they are afraid to ſin againſt God. And yet all this while they are in ſafety, and when they have caſt up their Accounts, they find they are no loſers, though they have loſt all that ever they had; their Souls are in ſafety, and that's enough to ſave them harmleſs under all their Sufferings. He whoſe Face is filled with the contempt of the Proud, whoſe back is bowed down that the ungodly may go over it, whoſe Name is made a ſcorn and deriſion, whoſe Goods become a booty and a ſpoil, and his very Life becomes a Sacrifice to the rage of the cruel, if he does but come off with the ſafety of his Soul, that's enough to make him abundant recompence for all. As Chriſt ſaith, Matth. 16.26. What ſhall it profit a Man to win the whole World and loſe his own Soul? So may it not be ſaid, What ſhall it prejudice a Man to loſe all the World if he ſave his own Soul? Thou knoweſt not what a Soul is, what the Salvation of a Soul is, thou knoweſt not what Eternity, what that Life and Death means, who canſt not ſay, Let me eſcape that Death, let me obtain that Life, and it is enough. O ſtudy the World to come more, ſecure to thy ſelf the eternal Inheritance, and then thou wilt ſay with the Pſalmiſt, what-ever thy condition be here, I will lay me down in peace and take my reſt, for thou, Lord, makeſt me dwell in ſafety. But more of this hereafter.
By what hath been ſaid, it appeareth, that the Man that feareth, is an happy Man, and wherein his happineſs lies.
It's true, that in this World he is but inchoatively and incompleatly happy; but an happy Man he is: As he that's Heir to a great Eſtate, even whilſt he is under Age, and hath little in poſſeſſion, may be ſaid to be a Rich Man, eſpecially if he be under the care of a faithful Guardian; no leſs may a Chriſtian, even in his non-age, be ſaid to be an happy Man. There's no happy Man in the World, if this be not he; When he is at loweſt, it's better with him than with the beſt of Sinners. Some Sinners will grant their Conſcience tells them ſo, that he that fears God, will have the beſt of it in the other World; but yet they conclude, that themſelves have the better of it here. But they are miſtaken, even in this Life, a Godly Man hath the better of Sinners. He knows little of God, he hath little underſtood the Joy of Faith, the Pleaſure of Love, the Eaſe of Sincerity, the Peace of Conſcience, the Gain of Godlineſs, that would exchange lives with the beſt of Sinners here in this World. The very hopes of the Saints fill them with more joy than the greateſt poſſeſſions of the ungodly. I had rather take my lot with Job on the Dunghil, than with Nebuchadnezzar on his Throne; with Lazarus in his Sores and Beggary, than with Dives in his Purple and delicate Fare; with Paul in his Bonds, than with Agrippa and Bernice in their Pomp; with that Priſoner at the Bar, than his Judges at the Bench. He that is otherwiſe minded, is guilty of one of theſe abſurdities, either to think that God is not better than Creatures, or that the ungodly enjoy as much of God, as thoſe that are Godly. If God be better than the World, if God be the preſent Portion of the Godly, and of them alone, then he that feareth God is the happieſt Man even in this Life.
But O what will his bleſſedneſs hereafter be! What advantage will he have of Sinners in the other World? When the compariſon ſhall no longer be betwixt God and the Creatures, betwixt the fulneſs of Heaven, and the fatneſs of the Earth; when the Queſtion ſhall no longer be, which is beſt, peace of Conſcience, or the proſperity of the World, the hopes of Glory, or the pleaſures of Sin; the worſt of Saints, or the Sinners beſt: But the queſtion will then be, Which is the beſt, the Pleaſures of the Saints, or the Plagues of Sinners; the Fruition of God, or Reprobation from God; the Joyes Above, or the Pangs Beneath? Then let it be conſidered, then ſhall it be diſcerned who are the happy Perſons, thoſe that Fear God, or thoſe that fear him not.
Ʋſe.
The Application is that which I chiefly intend, and this ſhall be by way of Information, Exhortation, and Direction; I ſhall put them all together. For the more effectual carrying on whereof, I ſhall inform and warn you;
1. Of the Oppoſites of this Fear.
2. Of the Grounds or Reaſons, why men Fear not.
3. Of the Reaſons why you ſhould Fear.
4. What you ſhould Fear.
5. How you ſhould improve this Holy Fear.