The Holy Arbor, Chapter 5 · Section 1 · Commandment 1 · Section 7
§. 7. Of the Fear of God.
THe laſt Vertue required in this Firſt Commandment, is the Fear of God; which being formerly touch'd, and though taken in a ſtrict conſideration, was yet found to be a great part of the Worſhip of God, and an infallible Sign of the true Religion: We ſhall therefore in this place ſpeak a word more of it, onelyonly in reference thereto. Now whereas it is ſaid to be a great part of the Worſhip of God, it is underſtood chiefly and principally of the Inward Worſhip, which alone is properly, ſimply, and of it ſelf the Worſhip of God; the Outward is not ſimply the Worſhip of God, but onelyonly ſo far forth as it is quickned by the Inward, and grounded on it. God is a Spirit, his Worſhip is Spiritual. This is the Worſhip of the Minde, the Heart, the Conſcience, the Will and Affections: for Man by all theſe joyntly and ſeverally performeth Worſhip and Service to his Creator; and this is the Spiritual Worſhip of the Inward Man, the Foundation of all true Worſhip of God: whereas the Outward Worſhip is onelyonly that, whereby the Inward is teſtified outwardly by the ſpeech and actions. The Worſhip of God, according to his Word, conſiſteth in things which God either giveth us, as his Titles and Works; or requireth of us, as Hearing his Word, Prayer, Sacraments, Vows and Swearing, in all which thou ſhalt fear the Lord thy God, becauſe he is the Lord, Levit. 14.19. To which may be added Outward Adoration, Confeſſion (not ordinary or Eccleſiaſtical Confeſſion, but ſuch as is made before the Adverſary) and Faſting; in all which the Fear of God, which is taken for the whole Worſhip of God, or for the general Obedience, according to all Gods Commandments, Prov. 1.7. This Fear, which ariſeth from a knowledge of Gods Juſtice, and of his Power to puniſh ſins, from a conſideration of of that Right and Dominion which he hath over all Creatures. This Fear, which is an acknowledging of ſin and the wrath of God, keeps the whole Man in a Religious Reſpect, a holy Dreadfulneſs, and in an awful Reverence of the great and mighty Majeſty of Heaven and Earth, commands him to walk as in the Preſence of God, that even his whole Converſation ſeems one undiſcontinued, holy, and Religious Adoration.
The whole Worſhip of God may ſtand in theſe five particulars; viz.
1. To Fear and Love him above all.
2. To Believe in all his Promiſes without doubting.
3. To Call upon him in all our neceſſities.
4. To be Thankful unto him for all his Benefits, wch ſhews it ſelf in theſe 2 things; viz.
1. An Acknowledgement of the heart, That our Souls, and whatſoever we have is Gods, and proceedeth from his Bleſſing alone.
2. In a Conſecration of our Bodies, Souls, Lives, Callings and Labors, to the honor and ſervice of God.
5. To be Obedient to all his Commandments.
The Worſhip of God conſiſteth in things that are
1. Perpetual, which are
1. Confidence in God, Prov. 3.5. & 22.19. 2 Chron. 20.20. Pſal. 37.3, 5.
2. Love of God, Deut. 6.5. Joh. 22.5. & 25.11. Mat. 22.37.
3. Reverence of God, Mat. 4.10. Heb. 12.28. Deut. 6.33. & 10.20.
2. Belonging to this life, as
1. Hope in God, Pſal. 37.7. & 62.5, 6, 7. Iſa. 38.18. 1 Pet. 1.21.
2. Fear of God, Deut. 4.10. & 6.2, 13. & 10.12, 20. & 14.13. Rev. 14.7.
The Heads of Inward Worſhip are two:
1. Adoration, whereby a man upon a vile and baſe eſtimation of himſelf, ſubjects himſelf, his Soul, to the Glory and Majeſty of God.
2. A cleaving to God, which is by Faith, Love, Hope, and Inward Invocation.
Adoration is twofold:
1. Religious, in which Religion and godlineſs is exerciſed; wherein are theſe two:
The Intention of the Minde.
The outward proſtrating of the Body.
2. Civil, which fellow-Creatures give one to the other; and this pertaineth onelyonly to the Second Table.
Two principal grounds of Adoration in the heart:
1. Abnegation or denyal of our ſelves, when we eſteem our ſelves to be meer nothing.
2. Exaltation of Gods Majeſty above all the things in the world.
In Adoration are theſe four Vertues; viz.
1. Fear, which is a great part of the Worſhip of God, and the comprehending Vertue of this Paragraph.
2. Inward Obedience of the hidden man of the heart, which ſtandeth in theſe two things; viz.
1. In yielding Obedience and ſubjection of Conſcience to the Commandments, Threatnings and Promiſes of God, ſo as we are willing it ſhould become bound unto them.
2. When the reſt of the Powers of the Soul in their place and time perform Obedience unto God.
3. Patience, when a man in Affliction ſubmits his will to Gods Will, and ſweetly quieting his heart therein.
4. Thankfulneſs of heart to God for all his benefits, acknowledging him to be the Fountain of every good thing.
Two things whereby the Fear of Gods Worſhip is diſtinguiſhed from all other Fears:
1. It is Abſolute: for by it God is reverenced abſolutely; that is, the fear we give to men is onelyonly for God, but we fear God for himſelf.
2. It makes a man firſt of all to fear the offence of God, and then the puniſhment: for it is a fear of both, but of the offence in the firſt place.
In the Worſhip of God we muſt not be led by our own Devices, but by Gods Direction, and that for theſe Reaſons:
1. God will be acknowledged to be the onelyonly Law-giver, the King of his Church, and the onelyonly Prophet to inſtruct it in the Will of God, Jam. 4.12.
2. There is a Promiſe of Bleſſing to them that ſerve him with a perfect heart; and there is threatning of moſt heavy Curſes and Judgements to come upon their Souls, that worſhip him after the Commandments and Precepts of men, Judg. 2.12, 14, 15. 2 Chron. 26.28, 29.
Rules touching the right maner of Gods Worſhip:
1. Touching things that are to be done or not to be done, we are not to judge by the falſe Rule of our own carnal and corrupt Reaſon, but according to the ſure Word of God by the Prophets and Apoſtles.
2. We muſt not preſume to adde ſomewhat of our own to the Ordinances of God in his Worſhip, and account it too groſs ſimplicity to cleave to the bare and naked Word, and thereby make a mixture of his Religion with our own Invention.
3. We muſt make it (as indeed it is) our Duty to ſtudy to acquaint our ſelves with the Scriptures, Reading them with all diligence, for the Word is a Chriſtian mans true and perfect guide, and in all doubts it is his Counſellor.
More ſpecial Rules for our Obedience to the Worſhip of God, as himſelf hath preſcribed:
1. We muſt think our ſelves fools in the matters of God, that we may be made wiſe, 1 Cor. 3.18.
2. To account God onelyonly wiſe, yea Wiſdom it ſelf.
3. To adde nothing to the Word of the Lord, which were to make our ſelves wiſer then God himſelf.
4. We muſt think nothing ſmall or little in Gods ſervice; he took order for the leaſt things in the Tabernacle, and left them not Arbitrary.
Holy things muſt be handled Reverently and Religiouſly for theſe Reaſons; viz.
1. Becauſe we have to do with God in matters of Religion.
2. Becauſe ſuch as come without Reverence and due regard into his preſence, do loſe the fruit and benefit of their coming.
The Miſchiefs of a Toleration of any falſe Worſhip, where the true Worſhip of God is Eſtabliſhed:
1. It ſheweth a coldneſs in Gods Cauſe, and little or no Zeal in defacing the Monuments of Idolatry, which rob God of his honor, when he will not have his glory given to any other.
2. It nouriſheth a Serpent in the boſom of the Church.
3. It cauſeth uncertainty of Faith and Religion, Doubt in men, ſpecially the weaker ſort, which ſide to adhere to.
4. It maintaineth Confuſion in Gods Worſhip, and foſtereth Schiſms, Troubles, Seditions and Rebellions.
5. It breaketh the ſweet and comfortable knot of the Unity and Amity of Brethren: it bringeth danger to the whole State, and is directly againſt ſincere Profeſſion, Joſh. 24.19. & 2.10, 1.
The Vices repugnant unto the Fear of God:
1. Prophaneneſs, Carnal Security, Not to Fear God.
2. Servile Fear, which is to ſhun puniſhment, without Faith, without a deſire of changing and amendment of life, with a deſpair and ſhunning of God, and with a ſeparation from him.
It appears from what hath been ſaid, That the Fear of God, being an awful reſpect of the Divine Majeſty, ariſeth either
1. From Faith in the Mercy and goodneſs of God: This is called Filial Fear; The effects whereof are theſe:
1. A careful Endeavor to pleaſe God.
2. A careful avoiding of ſuch things as offend the Divine Majeſty of God, Prov. 8.13. Job 1.1.
2. From Diffidence, when a mans heart doubteth of Gods Mercy, and expecteth nothing but Vengeance, and the fearful wrath of God upon him for ſin, whereupon nothing but horror and amazement ſeizeth all the faculties of his Soul. This is Servile Fear: Both which are grounded Rom. 8.15. The firſt was ſeen in Abraham, Gen. 22 12. The ſecond in Adam, Gen. 3.10. And ſo the devils fear and tremble, Jam. 2.19.
The ſigns and Evidences of him that feareth the Lord:
1. Where this Fear is, there is the hatred of evil, as of Pride and Arrogancy, Prov. 8.13. A man that feareth the Lord, dare not do unjuſtly, Gen. 42.18.
2. He is made pliable to Gods Will, though he were obſtinate before, Acts 9.6. Iſa. 6.5.
3. He trembleth at Gods Word, Iſa. 66.2, 5. Habbak. 3.16. Amos 3.8.
4. He feareth not man, Mat. 10.28. Iſa. 51.21. Dan. 3.
5. He delighteth in Gods Commandments, Pſal. 112.1. Pſal. 128.
6. He ſhall want no good thing, Pſal. 34.9. & 112.2.
The Means to attain to this holy Fear; viz.
1. To renounce our own Wiſdom, Prov. 3.7. Rom. 8.7. and not to be ſwayed by our own Reaſon.
2. To beg it of God, becauſe it is his gift, Jer. 32.39, 40.
3. To meditate upon Gods Judgements againſt ſinners, 2 Pet. 2. and alſo upon his Mercies, Pſal. 130.4. For there is mercy with him, that he may be feared.
Wouldst ſerve the true God in the Truth? not part
Gods Worſhip 'twixt Divinity and Art?
Nor ſmother what the Spirit blows? nor ſtrain
A ſlaviſh Complement with Man? whoſe Brain
Whets his Invention how to cut and fit
God Worſhip to the meaſure of his Wit;
Whoſe Devotion in zeal to Clergy-Pelf,
Gods ſtead, ſet up the Dagon of himſelf:
Wouldst this abhor, and in all things accord
With Truth it ſelf? Then learn to Fear the Lord.