Sermons Volume 4, Title page 3 – Title page 4

Sermons Volume 4 · Title page 3 – Title page 4

THE ASSURANCE OF Heaven and Salvation, A Powerful MOTIVE TO Serve God with Fear: IN A DISCOURSE ON HEBREWS xii. 28.

By EZEKIEL HOPKINS, Late Lord Biſhop of London-derry.

LONDON: Printed for Jonathan Robinſon, A. and J. Churchill, John Taylor and John Wyat. 1696.

p. 231THE ASSURANCE OF Heaven and Salvation, A Powerful MOTIVE TO Serve God with Fear.

Heb. 12.28, 29.

Wherefore we having received a Kingdom that cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may ſerve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a conſuming fire.

THIS Text contains in it a Doctrin, a Uſe, and a Motive: The Doctrin is, We have received a Kingdom that cannot be moved. The Uſe or Inference p. 232from thence is this, Therefore, let us ſerve God. And the Motive to enforce this Exhortation is in theſe Words, For our God is a conſuming fire.

1In the firſt part, which is the Theſis or Poſition, We have received a Kingdom that cannot be moved. We muſt know, there is a twofold Kingdom; a Kingdom of Grace, ſet up in the Heart of a Saint where Chriſt alone reigns as ſole Monarch and Sovereign; and a Kingdom of Glory prepared for us in the higheſt Heavens, where we ſhall reign as Kings with Chriſt for ever.Saints have a Kingdom in a fourfold Reſpect. If we take it in the former ſenſe for the Kingdom of Grace, ſo the Apoſtle ſaith, we have a Kingdom, that is, we have it already in Poſſeſſion. Chriſt hath eſtabliſhed his Dominion over every Believer, and though he ſits perſonally upon his Throne in Heaven, yet he rules in us by the Vice-gerency and Deputation of his Spirit that received Commiſſion from him, and alſo by the Law of his Word enacted by it. If we underſtand it in the latter ſenſe for the Kingdom of Glory, which ſeems moſt congruous to the Deſign of the Apoſtle, p. 233ſo alſo, we have a Kingdom, and that in a fourfold ſenſe.

Firſt, By Grace giving us the earneſt of 1it; by Faith realizing of it, by Hope embracing it, and by the Promiſes aſſuring of it.

Firſt,1. Saints have a Kingdom in the firſt Fruits of it. We have a Kingdom of Glory in the Earnest and firſt Fruits of it. The Comforts and Graces of the Spirit are very often in Scripture called the Earneſt of our Inheritance: So you have it in 2 Cor. 1.22. and in Eph. 1.14. Now an Earneſt you know is always part of the Bargain: So God to aſſure us that he is in earneſt when he promiſeth Heaven and Glory to us, hath already given us part of it in the Graces of his Spirit. Grace and Glory are one and the ſame thing in a different Print, in a ſmaller and a greater Letter; here we have Heaven in ſeminal Inchoation, hereafter we ſhall have it in conſummate Perfection; Glory lies couched and and compacted in Grace, as the beauty of a Flower lies couched and eclipſed in the Seed; therefore the Pſalmist ſaith, Pſal. 97. That Light is ſown for the Righteous; that is,Pſal. 97.Ps 97 the Light of Joy p. 234and of a future Life are in the Graces of Gods Children as in their Seed, and they ſhall certainly bud and ſprout forth into perfect Happineſs.

Secondly, We have a Kingdom of Glory, 2. Faith realizeth it.becauſe Faith realizeth things future, and gives an exiſtence and being to things that are not. This is that Grace to which nothing is paſt nor nothing future; it contracts all things into preſent time, and makes all actually exiſtent; it draws Things that are at a great diſtance from it near to it ſelf; and thus the Galatians Faith repreſented the death of Chriſt ſo viſibly to them, that the Apoſtle told them, He was crucified among them, Gal. 3.1.Gal 3:1Gal. 3.1. It dives down into the gulf of future times, and fetcheth up things that as yet are not. It is much at one to a ſtrong Faith to have Heaven or to believe it; this Grace makes Heaven as really preſent as if it were already in Poſſeſſion, and therefore it is called in Heb. 11.1. The evidence of things not ſeen, and the ſubſtance of things hoped for; it is the very being of things hoped for, the being of thoſe things that as yet have no being.

p. 235Thirdly,3. Hope embraceth it. We have a Kingdom as in the view of Faith, ſo alſo in the embraces of Hope. And therefore Hope is called, The Anchor of the Soul that entreth into that within the Vail, Heb. 6.19. that is,Heb. 6.19.Heb 6:19 into Heaven; it lays hold on all that Glory that is there laid up and kept in reverſion for us. Hope is in it ſelf a ſolid and ſubſtantial Poſſeſſion, for it ſtirs up the ſame Affections, it excites the ſame Joy, Delight and Complacency as Fruition it ſelf doth. It is the Taſter of all our Comforts, and if they be but temporal, it not only taſts them, but ſometimes quite devours them, and leaves us in ſuſpence whether it be not better to be Expectants than Enjoyers. Heavenly Hope gives the ſame real contentment and ſatisfaction that antedates our Glory and puts us into the Poſſeſſion of our Inheritance whilſt we are yet in our Nonage, only it doth not ſpend and devour its Object before Hand as earthly Hope doth.

Fourthly,4. God hath aſſured them of it by Promiſe We have a Kingdom of Glory, becauſe God hath aſſured to us the poſſeſſion of it by his immutable word of Promiſe. And therefore it is called, p. 236Eternal Life, which God that cannot lie hath promiſed, Tit. 1.2. Gods Word is as good Security as actual Poſſeſſion. It is this Word that gives us Right and Title to it, and this Right we may well call ours. Hence we have it, and it is obſervable, Mark 16.16. He that believeth ſhall be ſaved. Here is aſſurance of Salvation for the future: But in John 3.18.Joh. 3.18.John 3:18 there it is, He that believeth not, is condemned already. He that believeth ſhall be ſaved, he that believeth not is condemned already; why Unbelievers are no more actually condemned than Believers are actually ſaved; only what God promiſeth, or what God threatneth, it is all one whether he ſaith it is done or it ſhall be done; for Damnation is as ſure to the one, and Salvation as certain to the other, as if they were already in their final Eſtate. So then we have a Kingdom, that is God, who cannot lie, hath promiſed it, and his Promiſe is as much as actual Poſſeſſion it ſelf.

The Saints Kingdom is immoveable.It follows in the Text this Kingdom is deſcribed to us in the Text to be immoveable, we have a Kingdom that cannot be moved; it is not like the Kingdoms p. 237of the Earth, that are all ſubject to Earthquakes and Commotions, but we have a Kingdom that cannot be moved. And if we underſtand this of the Kingdom of Grace in the Hearts of Believers, then the ſenſe is, it can never be ſo moved as to be utterly removed; though it be ſhaken and battered, yet the Foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this Seal on it, the Lord knoweth who are his, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Tim. 2.19.2 Tim. 2.19.2 Tim 2:19 Indeed as all Earthquakes are cauſed by ſome Vapours included in the Bowels of the Earth, ſo is there enough in us to cauſe Shakings and Earthquakes, there are thoſe corrupt and ſinful ſteems of Luſts that are ſtill working and heaving in our Breaſts; that were not Gods Truth, Wiſdom and Power all engaged to keep and preſerve us, we ſhould be ſoon moved from our Standing, and overthrown. If we underſtand by it the Kingdom of Glory, that is certainly immoveable, we have a Kingdom that cannot be moved; there we ſhall be free from the Temptations of Satan, from the Infirmities and Corruptions of the Fleſh, from the mutability and fickleneſs of our own Wills, and have a bleſſed neceſſity impoſed upon us to be for p. 238ever holy, and to be for ever happy. So much for the Theſis, We have a Kingdom that cannot be moved.

2Secondly, From the Theſis the Apoſtle proceeds to draw a practical Inference; wherein we may obſerve both what he exhorts us unto, and how we ought to do it. The Matter of the Duty to which he exhorts us, is, Let us have Grace whereby we may ſerve God. The manner how we ought to ſerve God is ſet down in one word and that is acceptably, Let us ſerve God acceptably; which that we may do, he directs us to the means, and that is, in all our ſerving of God let us addreſs our ſelves to him, with reverence and godly fear; let us ſerve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. I ſhall only, as I paſs along, take a taſte of this part of the Text, before I fix upon what I principally intend. The Word here tranſlated reverence ſignifies ſhame-facedneſs or baſhfulneſs, ſuch as is commendable in Inferiours while they are in the preſence of their Superiours; and it implies in it two Things. Firſt, Conſciouſneſs of our own Vileneſs and Ʋnworthineſs. And then it implies; Secondly, An over-awing ſenſe p. 239of anothers excellency. For Modeſty or Reverence conſiſts in theſe two things, in low and debaſing Thoughts of our ſelves, and in a high Eſteem of others. Why now this the Apoſtle exhorts us to in the Text by the word Reverence; whence obſerve this, That a due ſenſe of our own vileneſs and of Gods glorious Majeſty, is an excellent qualification in all our Services to make them acceptable. Let us ſerve God acceptably, with Reverence and godly Fear.

Thirdly, You have in the Text the 3Motive whereby the Apoſtle inforceth this Exhortation, For our God is a conſuming Fire. Theſe Words are cited out of Deut. 4.19. where Moſes, to bring the Iſraelites from Idolatry, repreſents God to them as a jealous God and a conſuming Fire. And here the Apoſtle makes uſe of them to compoſe Men into a holy Awe and Reverence of God in ſerving of him: Whence obſerve,

Firſt, That an irreverent and fearleſs 1Worſhip of the true God, provokes him and deſerves his conſuming Wrath, as well as the Idolatrous Worſhip of a falſe God. p. 240Moſes makes uſe of the ſame Words to deter the Iſraelites from Idolatry and worſhipping of a falſe God, as the Apoſtle makes uſe of to excite us to a Reverence and worſhipping of the true God.

2Secondly, Whereas it is ſaid that our God is a conſuming Fire; obſerve, That our peculiar Intereſt in God is no Encouragement to caſt off our moſt awful fear of God. Our God is a conſuming Fire; though he hath laid down his Enmity againſt us, yet he hath not laid down his Sovereignty and Majeſty over us. Indeed theſe two Expreſſions, Our God, and a conſuming Fire, at firſt bluſh and glance ſeem to look ſtrangely and wiſtly one upon another; but the Holy Ghost hath excellently tempered them: He is our God, this corrects that deſpairing Fear that otherwiſe would ſeize upon us, from the conſideration of God as a conſuming Fire: And he is a conſuming Fire alſo, that corrects that preſumptuous Irreverence, that elſe the conſideration of our Intereſt in God might poſſibly embolden us unto.

p. 241You ſee now, from the Explication of theſe Words, what an excellent copious Portion of Scripture I have unfolded unto you, wherein indeed is contained the true Art and Method of ſerving of God acceptably. It is the Fear of God that quickens us to ſerve him, and this Fear of God is preſſed upon us and wrought in us by two ſtrong Principles, we have a Kingdom; and what is ſtrange too for thoſe that have a Kingdom of God, our God is a conſuming Fire, and therefore let us fear him. Now this is ſuch a Principle that carnal Men are not apt to apprehend; they ſay, if we have a Kingdom that cannot be moved, why then ſhould we fear? And if God be ſuch a conſuming Fire, why ſhould we ever expect that Kingdom, ſince we are but as Stubble? But our Apoſtle hath well conjoyned them together, and from that conjunction I ſhall raiſe and proſecute this one Propoſition.

Doctrin. That even thoſe who ſtand higheſt in love and favour of God, and have the fulleſt aſſurance thereof, and of their interest in him as their God, ought notwithſtanding to fear him as a Sin-revenging God, and a conſuming Fire.

p. 242In the proſecuting of this I ſhall ſhew you,

1Firſt, What fear of God it is that a Believer ought always to over-awe his Heart with.

2Secondly, Ʋpon what Grounds and Conſiderations he is thus to do it. What there is in a reconciled God that may be a Ground and Motive to over-awe our Hearts with a fear of his Majeſty.

What Fear is.Firſt, What fear of God it is that a Believer ought to over-awe his Heart with. Fear in general is deſcribed to be a Paſſion or an Affection of the Mind, ariſing from the apprehenſion of ſome great Evil difficulty avoidable: And, as it is obſerved by ſome, it uſually carries in it three Things.

11. There is in Fear a doubtfulneſs or uncertainty of the Event what it may prove, and this is always a Torment to the Mind.

22. There is in it a Terror that ſprings and ariſeth from the greatneſs of the Evil apprehended and feared.

p. 2433. There is in it a careful flight and 3averſion of it.

1. There is in Fear a doubtfulneſs and uncertainiy of the Event; Three things in Fear.and this is a Torment, when a Man is wrackt in Suſpenſe and Doubt what to expect,1. A doubtfulneſs of the Event. whether or no the Vengeance of God will not fall heavy upon him, whether or no he be not Fuel on which this conſuming Fire will for ever prey. Now this is not that Fear to which the Apoſtle in this Text exhorts us to ſerve God withal; no, to Serve God with Reverence and godly Fear, is not to ſerve him with a doubtful, anxious and ſolicitous Fear of what the Event may prove; nay, ſuch a Fear as this is, is inconſiſtent with actual Aſſurance, and thoſe who are perplexed with it cannot ſay we have a Kingdom, nor cannot fear their God as a conſuming Fire. There may be a genuine, awful Fear of God as a conſuming Fire, where there is not the leaſt doubt remaining concerning our final State, where the Soul is fully aſſured that God will be to him not a Fire to conſume him, but a Sun to cheriſh him for ever. I will give you one p. 244or two remarkable Scriptures to this purpoſe.Heb. 4.1.Heb 4:1 In Heb. 4.1. Let us fear, ſays the Apoſtle, leſt a Promiſe being left us of entring into his reſt, any of you ſhould ſeem to come ſhort of it. Here the Apoſtle quickens them to the exerciſe of Holineſs, from the fear of falling ſhort of Heaven; yea, though they had aſſurance by Gods Promiſe of it; leſt a Promiſe being left us of entring into his Reſt, yet you ſhould fall ſhort of it. And ſo the Apoſtle triumphs in his Aſſurance,2 Cor. 5.1.2 Cor 5:1 in 2 Cor. 5.1. We know that we have an Houſe eternal in the Heavens; and yet in Verſe 11. he quickens himſelf to the diſcharge of his Miniſterial Office, from the Fear of Gods Wrath, Knowing the Terrors of the Lord we perſuade Men. Though he was aſſured of Glory, yet he quickens himſelf to the diſcharge of his Miniſteral Function, by the Fear of Gods Wrath. So that it is evident there may be a Fear of Gods Wrath exciting unto Duty, where yet there is a full Aſſurance beyond all doubting and heſitation of eſcaping Wrath. So that this is not that Fear that the Apoſtle excites them that have aſſurance unto.

p. 2452. There is a Fear of Terrour, 2. There is in Fear a Terror ariſing from the Evil feared.a ſhivering in the Soul upon the apprehenſion of the greatneſs of the Evil feared, but avoided too; and this is conſiſtent with full Aſſurance. Thus the Terror of paſt Dangers ſometimes cauſeth as much Terror as if we were again to encounter with them. So when Believers look back upon that Wrath and fiery Indignation that they have narrowly eſcaped, upon that Lake of Brimſtone that boils and burns behind them, wherein thouſands of others are for ever ſwallowed up, this cannot but affect them with a holy Horror and Fear of Gods Wrath againſt Sinners, though they have full aſſurance of his Love.

3. There is alſo in Fear a flight and averſation from the Evil feared; 3. There is in Fear a flight and averſation of the Evil feared.and this alſo is conſiſtent with full aſſurance. Noah had full aſſurance from the Promiſe of God for his preſervation from the Deluge, and yet it is ſaid, That Noah being moved with fear built him an Ark. Full aſſurance to eſcape Evil is far from hindring (as ſome calumniate it) the uſe of means to prevent that Evil; yea, p. 246the aſſurance that we have to eſcape Hell and Wrath is of the greateſt and moſt effectual influence to make us careful to uſe thoſe means whereby we may eſcape it. See this in 2 Cor. 7.1. Having theſe promiſes, 2 Cor. 7.1.2 Cor 7:1let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs both of Fleſh and Spirit, perfecting Holineſs in the fear of God. So in Tit. 2.11, 12. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation, teacheth us to deny Ʋngodlineſs and worldly Luſts, looking for that bleſſed hope and glorious appearing of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. So in 1 John 3.3. Every one that hath this Hope in him, purifieth himſelf as God is pure.

Thus you ſee what Fear it is the Apoſtle exhorts Believers to who have a Kingdom; not a Fear of perplexing Doubtfulneſs, but ſuch as is conſiſtent with their full aſſurance; that is, ſo to fear the Wrath of God, as to have our Hearts affected with Terror at the greatneſs and inſupportableneſs of that Wrath though they have eſcaped it, and to fear ſo, as to avoid all Sin, and all that expoſeth to that Wrath; in theſe two Senſes they that are aſſured that God is their God, ought to fear him as a conſuming Fire.

p. 247Secondly, 2. Why Believers, who are aſſured of Gods love, ought to fear him as a conſuming Fire.Let us now ſee upon what Grounds and Conſiderations a Believer who is aſſured of Gods love and favour to him, ought yet to fear him as a conſuming Fire.

And Firſt, The conſideration of that mighty and dreadful Power that God puts forth in the puniſhing and afflicting of the damned; 1. Becauſe of that Power that he puts forth in puniſhing of the damned.this may ſtrike Fear into the Hearts of thoſe that are fully aſſured of Gods love and favour to them. Such a Fear as this is, the holy Angels themſelves have; tho' they are ſecured by Chriſt in that bleſſed State and Condition that they enjoy, yet to ſee God ſtripping and making bare his Arm, to lay on weighty ſtrokes of everlaſting Vengeance upon their Fellow Angels that are fallen, makes them to tremble and ſtand aſtoniſhed at the Almighty Power of God; and this keeps them at a due diſtance in their Thoughts and Apprehenſions of his dreadful Majeſty. And ſhould it not much more make us to tremble with an awful reſpect of the Power of God, to conſider how he cruſheth and breaks the Damned in Hell by his own Almighty Arm ſtretched p. 248out in the full Power of his Wrath to their everlaſting Deſtruction. It is from this Power of God that Chriſt himſelf enforceth the Fear of God, Mat. 20.28. Fear him who is able to deſtroy both Body and Soul in Hell. Though God ſhould aſſure you that he would never deſtroy you in Hell, yet becauſe he is able to do it, therefore you ſhould fear him.

2. Becauſe of Gods Wrath and Severity.Secondly, This Fear may ariſe in the Hearts of the Children of God, who are moſt aſſured of his Love, from the conſideration of the Wrath and dreadful Severity of God, as well as of his Power. If a Father corrects his Slave in his Wrath, this will cauſe Fear and Dread in the Son, though he knows that Wrath ſhall never fall upon him. So when a Child of God, who is aſſured of the tender love and favour of God to himſelf, yet when he ſadly conſiders that Wrath and Indignation that is in God againſt the damned; when he ſees his heavenly Father angry, though it be not againſt him; yet this muſt needs ſtrike a reverential Fear and Aw into his Soul. Now this reverential Fear will remain for ever, The Fear of the Lord endureth for p. 249ever; yea, when the Children of God ſhall be made for ever happy in Heaven, yet this Fear ſhall be then encreas'd, and not at all diminiſhed; the more they ſee of the Power of the Wrath and Severity of God executed upon the damned, the more they fear and reverence this powerful, this Sin-revenging God; and this kind of Fear is no prejudice to their full Aſſurance and Joy, nor ſhall it be prejudicial to their compleat and perfect Happineſs in Heaven.

Thirdly,3. Becauſe of the deſert of their Sins. The conſideration of the deſert of Sin, ſhould cauſe a holy Fear of God, even in thoſe that are fully aſſured of his Love. When a Child of God looks upon Sin, and ſees what Wrath and Torment he hath deſerved by it, tho' he be aſſured by the Teſtimony of the Spirit of God that he is pardoned, yet it cannot but fright him to conſider that he ſhould deſerve ſo great Condemnation. As a Malefactor though he be pardoned, yet if he be preſent at the Execution of his Fellow Offenders, it muſt needs ſtrike him with Fear and Horror, that he ſhould be guilty of the ſame Crimes that they are to ſuffer ſuch ſharp and cruel Puniſhments for. What p. 250the Thief on the Croſs ſaid unto his Fellow Thief, Doſt thou not fear God, ſeeing thou art in the ſame Condemnation? The ſame may I ſay to Believers; Do not your fear God, ſeeing you deſerve at leaſt to be in the ſame Condemnation with thoſe Wretches that lie frying and howling in Hell?

4. Becauſe in it ſelf it is poſſible all this Wrath might have been their Portion.Fourthly, Another Ground of fear is, that it is in it ſelf poſſible that all this Wrath ſhould be your Portion for ever, even you, who are moſt aſſured of Glory. And is not this juſt cauſe of Fear, if not of Expectation yet at leaſt of Terror? Indeed as God hath been graciouſly pleaſed to bind himſelf in a Covenant of Grace and Mercy to you, ſo it is impoſſible that this Wrath ſhould fall upon you; but yet ſuch a Suppoſition as this is, is enough to cauſe Fear in the moſt aſſured Heart, to think that if God had not engaged himſelf by Promiſe to deliver him from that Wrath, what then would have been his Condition to all Eternity? Would not ſuch Thoughts as theſe are make you tremble? Suppoſe a Man were faſt chained to the top of ſome high Rock hanging over a bottomleſs Gulf, though he knew p. 251and was aſſured that he ſhould not fall into it, being immoveably faſten'd there, yet when he looks down that deep and dangerous Precipice, and fees the Gulf foaming and raging under him, will not a cold Fear drill through his Heart to think, O! if I were not here faſtned by a ſtrong Chain to this immoveable Rock, what would become of me? Even ſo Believers, you that are moſt aſſured to eſcape Hell, this is your Condition; you are faſtned to the Rock of Ages by the unchangeable Promiſe of God that will ever hold you faſt; but yet every time you look down into the bottomleſs Gulf that is under you, where thouſands are ſwallowed up to all Eternity; doth not ſuch a Thought as this is fright you to think? O! if I were not faſtned to this immoveable Rock, if God had not made an everlaſting Covenant with me, ordered in all things and ſure, I ſhould alſo have been ſwallowed up with the reſt of the World, and have gone down quick into Hell. Why, alas, we are all of us held over the Lake of Fire and Brimſtone in the Hands of God; ſome he holds in the left Hand of his common Providence, and others of them he p. 252holds in the right Hand of his ſpecial Grace; thoſe whom he holds only in the Hands of his Providence he lets fall and drop one after another into Hell, where they are ſwallowed up and loſt eternally; thoſe that he holds in the Hands of his Grace, it is true it is impoſſible upon that Suppoſition that ever they ſhould fall into Hell; yet when they think, O if we were not upheld, yea, how poſſible it was that they ſhould not have been upheld; this apprehenſion muſt needs ſtrike them with Fear and Terror, though not with a perplexing Doubtfulneſs concerning the ſafety of their Condition, yet with a doubtful apprehenſion of the poſſibility of what would have been their Condition if God had held them over Hell only, by the Hand of his common Providence.

5. Becauſe they eſcape very narrowly.Fifthly, Conſider though you are aſſured that you ſhall eſcape this eternal Death, yet it will be a narrow eſcape, and that may cauſe Fear: It will be an eſcape with very much Labour and Difficulty, tho' you are held in the Hands of God, yet he leads you along to Heaven by the Gates of Hell, and this is ſufficient to p. 253cauſe Fear. Our way to Heaven is ſo ſtrait, the Rubs in it ſo many, our Falls by them ſo frequent, our Enemies ſo potent, that though our aſſurance may make us not to fear but that in the end, we ſhall eſcape Hell; yet it will be high preſumption for us not to fear how we may eſcape it. The Apoſtle brings in the Salvation of the Elect themſelves with a ſcarcely, 1 Pet. 4.18.1 Pet. 4.18.1 Pet 4:18 If the Righteous ſcarcely be ſaved. Why now this ſcarcely doth not imply that there is any uncertainty in the End, but only it implies the great difficulty in the means of obtaining of it. So then the End is certain, that is, a Believers Salvation from Hell, and that is juſt cauſe of rejoycing; but the Means are very difficult and laborious, and that is juſt cauſe of Fear.

Well then, briefly to apply it in one Word; Though you are aſſured, through Faith, of the Pardon of your Sins, yet tremble at the thought of that Wrath and Hell that you have eſcaped. It is obſerved that thoſe are the fixed Stars that tremble moſt. So Chriſtians, who are fixed immoveably in the unchangeable love of God, as Stars fixed to the Heavens in p. 254their Orbs, yet they are moſt of all in Trepidation and Trembling when they reflect upon themſelves and think, that inſtead of being Stars in Heaven, they might have been Firebrands in Hell. Thoſe to me are ſuſpicious Profeſſors that make a great blaze with their Joys in the apprehenſions of their Right to Heaven, but never tremble under the apprehenſions of their Deſerts of Hell.

What there is in the conſideration of God as our God, that may cauſe us to fear him.Having ſhewed you upon what account God is to be feared as he is a conſuming Fire, in the next place I ſhall ſhew you what there is in the conſideration of God, as our God, that may enforce a holy Awe and Fear of him; and indeed if ever it was neceſſary to preſs Men to a due Fear and Awe of God it is ſo now, ſince on the one Hand the open Prophaneneſs of ungodly Men, and on the other Hand the pert Saucineſs of ſome notional Profeſſors, are apt to think that Communion with God conſiſts in a familiar Rudeneſs, doth plainly teſtifie to all the World that there is little Fear or Reverence of him in their Hearts. And now whilſt I am ſhewing what reaſon there is that Gods deareſt Children ſhould fear him as a p. 255reconciled Father, let wicked Men in the mean while ſadly conſider with themſelves, what great cauſe then they have to fear him who is their ſworn Enemy; if God's Smiles are tempered with that Majeſty that makes them awful, ſurely his Frowns then muſt needs carry in them an aſtoniſhing Terror, that makes them inſupportable. We may obſerve how unexpectedly ſometimes, from the Goodneſs and Mercy of God, that is, the ſweeteſt and moſt natural attractive of Love, the Scripture draws an Inference to fear God, Pſal. 130.4.Pſal. 130.4.Ps 130:4 There is forgiveneſs with thee that thou mayeſt be feared. Not only a Sin-revenging, but a Sin-pardoning God is here ſet before us as the Object of our Fear; theſe two Siſter Graces Fear and Love are nouriſhed in the Soul by the ſame Attribute, God's pardoning Mercy. The great Sinner in the Goſpel is ſaid to love much becauſe much was forgiven her; and here much Fear as well as much Love, is the reſult and iſſue of God's pardoning Grace. And ſo you have it in Hoſ. 3.5.Hoſ. 3.5.Hos 3:5 They ſhall fear the Lord and his goodneſs. And in Exod. 15.11. Moſes deſcribing the moſt glorious Attributes of God, tells p. 256us, That he is glorious in Holineſs, fearful in Praiſes; even then when we are to praiſe God for his Mercy, yet are we to fear him, as being fearful in Praiſes. And therefore Nehemiah, Neh. 1.5.Neh 1:5in Nehem. 1.5. praying to God, ſays he, O Lord, the great and the terrible God. Wherein? Is it in overwhelming Kingdoms, in bringing upon them decreed Deſtruction? Is it in the fierce execution of his Wrath againſt Sinners? No; ſays he, O Lord, the terrible God, that keepeſt Covenant and Mercy for them that love him, So again in Chap. 9.32. O God, the mighty and terrible God, that keepeſt Covenant and Mercy. Let us now conſider what there is in the Mercy and Favour of God, as he is a reconciled God unto us and in Covenant with us, that may juſtly render him to be the Object of our Fear.

1. That dreadful way that God took to manifeſt his mercy to us, may juſtly cauſe us to fear him.Firſt, The conſideration of that dreadful way and method that God took to manifeſt his Mercy towards us, is ſufficient to affect our Hearts with Fear, though we ſtand fully poſſeſſed of his favour. In Gen. 28. when God had made many gracious Promiſes all along that Chapter unto Jacob, of bleſſing of him, and keeping him p. 257in all his ways, of multiplying his Seed as the duſt of the Earth, you would think this was no terrible Thing; and yet becauſe God reveals this Mercy to him in an awful and amazing manner, a Gap is opened in Heaven, a bright Ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven; God on the top of it, Angels on every Round of it; though the Meſſage was joyful, yet the ſtrange kind of delivering of the Meſſage makes Jacob cry out, How dreadful is this place, it is no other than the Gate of Heaven! The very Gate of Heaven becomes dreadful when it is repreſented in ſuch a Majeſtical manner. But now the way that God took for his Mercy to arrive at us, is much more dreadful than any ſuch Dream or Viſion, and therefore we ſhould be the more deeply affected with Fear and Trembling, even then when God ſpeaks Peace and Pardon to us; for if we conſider either the Terms upon which he is become ours, or the way by which he diſcovereth himſelf to be ours; both of them are full of Dread and Terror.

p. 2581. The terms upon which God becomes ours, are full of Terror.Firſt, It cannot but ſtrike our Hearts with Fear to reflect upon thoſe dreadful Terms upon which God is contented, to be induced to become our God. His Mercy towards us is procured upon Terms of infinite Juſtice and Severity. Divine Vengeance arreſts our Surety, and exacts from him the utmoſt Satisfaction; that Curſe that would for ever have blaſted and withered the Souls of all Mankind, ſeizeth upon Chriſt in all its malignity; that Wrath, ſome few Drops of which ſcalds the Damned in Hell, was given him to drink off in a full and overflowing Cup, He did bear the chaſtiſement of our Peace, and by his Stripes we are healed; nor would God upon lower Terms have conſented to a Reconciliation betwixt wretched Man and himſelf, than the precious Blood of his only Son. As of Old, Friendſhip betwixt two Perſons was wont to be atteſted and ſealed by a Sacrifice, as we find it both among Heathen Authors, and alſo in Scripture; an Inſtance of which we have of Laban, in Gen. 31.54. where Laban and Jacob, returning to Amity, make a Ratification of it by a Sacrifice. So the Attonement that God made betwixt us and p. 259himſelf is ſolemnized by a Sacrifice, even the Sacrifice of his own Son, As a Lamb without ſpot or blemiſh; in this Blood the Treaty betwixt God and Man ſtands ratified and confirmed. Oh! dreadful Mercy, that claſps and embraces us about with Arms died red in the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt. But now is not this Ground enough to cauſe a holy Fear of God to ſeize upon every Soul that ſhall but ſeriouſly conſider this ſad Tragedy of pardoning Grace? If a King reſolve to forgive a Malefactor, upon no other Terms than a Pardon writ with the laſt drop of the Heart-blood of his deareſt Friend, who is there that is ſo hardned, that will not tremble at ſuch a Mercy as this is, though it ſave him? So is the Caſe betwixt God and us; the Contents of the Pardon are joyful, but it is written all with the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt reaking warm from his very Heart;2. The way by which God diſcovers himſelf to be ours, is dreadful, and may make us to fear him. and who then would not fear even a forgiving God?

Secondly, Conſider the way and method that God takes with us when he becomes our God, and that is moſt dreadful, and muſt needs make the moſt confirmed Heart to ſhake with Fear and Trembling. Indeed p. 260God deals not with us in ſuch Rigour as he dealt with Jeſus Chriſt his Son; but yet uſually when he becomes our God, when he enters upon us as his Poſſeſſion; firſt, he ſhakes all the Foundations of our Hearts, breaths in Flames of Fire into our very Marrow, cramps our Conſciences and unjoints our Souls; O the Tempeſts and Storms of Wrath that God pours into a wounded Conſcience, when it is under ſearching Convictions! O the Smart and Anguiſh of a wounded Spirit, when God inſtead of Balm ſhall only chafe it with Brimſtone! And yet this is the common method that God uſeth to prepare Souls for himſelf; he ſeems to arm himſelf in all his Terrors againſt them, ſingling them out to the Conflict, and when they give up themſelves for loſt, lying gaſping for Hope ſcarcely, at length is adminiſtred ſome few reviving Comforts. It is with theſe as it was with the Children of Iſrael upon Sinai, firſt they were aſtoniſhed with a confuſed noiſe of Thunder, the Air full of Lightning, the Mountains all on a Flame, and the Earth trembling under them, before they heard that comfortable Voice in Exod. 20.2. I am the Lord thy God. So p. 261is it with convinced Sinners: God diſchargeth his Threatnings againſt them that ſpeak more dreadfully to them than a Voice of Thunder; he ſpeaks to them out of the midſt of Flames, and every Word ſcorcheth up their Hearts; and when they ſtand trembling and deſpairing, once at length they hear thoſe reviving Words, I am the Lord thy God. What Hearts are there now that ſuch a dreadful Mercy as this is, would not over-aw? Thoſe Diſcoveries of Gods Love that break in upon the Soul in the midſt of a doleful and gloomy Night of Deſpair and Deſpondency, work naturally a ſweet kind of Terror and a ſhivering Joy; and that's the firſt Conſideration. The dreadful method that God takes to procure Mercy for us, even by the death of his Son, and to apply Mercy to us, even by the Terrors of a convinced Conſcience, is a ſufficient Ground to affect our Hearts with Fear,Reaſ. 2. We ought to fear God, tho' he be our God, becauſe it is poſſible to loſe his Love and the Senſe of it. though we ſtand fully poſſeſs'd of his Favour.

Secondly, Though God be our God, yet to conſider that it is poſſible to loſe his Favour and the Senſe of it, this is enough to affect the Heart with a holy fear even of a p. 262reconciled God. It is true, God's Original and Fountain Love can never be dried up, Whom he loves, he loves unto the End, Pſal. 89.33.Ps 89:33John 1.13. And my loving Kindneſs will I never utterly take away from him, Pſal. 89.33. But yet the Streams of this Fountain Love may be very much obſtructed from flowing freely down upon us; though we ſhall never again be Children of Wrath, yet we may be Children under Wrath; every preſumptuous Sin we commit raiſeth God's diſpleaſure againſt us, he is angry with us upon every more notorious and known Sin we commit; and ſince then we are in danger every Day of falling into groſs and foul Sins, and are kept only by his almighty and free Grace from the worſt, what cauſe have we to fear, leſt we forfeit his Favor and turn his Diſpleaſure againſt us? Yea again, though we ſhould be preſerved from Sin and continue in his Love, yet we cannot aſſure our ſelves that we ſhall continue in the Senſe and comfortable Apprehenſion of it: Comfort is moſt arbitrary and at God's free Diſpoſe, neither hath he ingaged himſelf to beſtow it upon any by any abſolute Promiſe; though now his Lamp ſhined p. 263clearly upon thy Tabernacle and thou rejoyceſt in his Smiles, yet how quickly may he wrap thee up in a dark Night of Deſertion, and turn all thy Songs into Mourning? Thou, therefore, that art now aſſured that God is thy God, fear leſt ere long thou mayeſt not think him to be ſo; certain thou art he is ſo now, yet before it be long, poſſibly, through thy Miſcarriage, thou mayeſt not think him to be ſo, and it is all one as to Comfort or Diſcomfort, whether God be thy God or not, if thou doſt not apprehend him to be ſo, and therefore fear him.

Thirdly,Reaſ. 3. Why we ſhould fear God, becauſe every Frown of our God touches to the quick. Conſider every Frown and Stroke toucheth to the Quick, that cometh from a reconciled God and a loving Father, and therefore the rather fear becauſe he is thy God. Every little Blow from a Father ſtrikes deeper and cauſeth more Smart than greater Blows from other Perſons; others ſtrike the Body, but when a loving Father ſtrikes, he wounds the Heart: So is it here; the nearneſs of the Relation betwixt God and us, puts an Anguiſh and Sting into every Correction. As the Pſalmist ſpeaks in his own Caſe, Pſal. 55.12. p. 264It was not an Enemy that reproached me, neither was it he that hated me, then I could have born it; but it was thou a Friend, mine Equal, my Guide, and mine Acquaintance. Theſe are ſad Accents; and ſo is it here: The Blood of a Sin-revenging God may indeed break the Back, but the Blows of a gracious and reconciled Father break the Heart. Fear therefore, leſt through ſome Miſcarriage of thine (and ſuch Miſcarriages thou art every Day guilty of) thou ſhouldeſt provoke thy God to lay ſome heavy Stroke upon thee, which will be the more ſmart from the aggravation that provoked Love puts upon it. And thus you ſee now in theſe three Particulars, what ground there is from the conſideration of God as our God, to enforce a holy Fear of his divine Majeſty upon our Hearts. He is our God, therefore fear him becauſe the way that he became ours is moſt dreadful; he is our God as yet, fear leſt we may not apprehend him ſo long; he is our God therefore fear him, becauſe every Stroke and Frown from a God in Covenant, comes with an aggravated ſmart and ſting.

p. 265Why now this holy Fear, as it is no Enemy to full aſſurance, as I have ſhewed you, ſo neither,

Secondly,2. Holy Fear is not contrary to the Love of God. Is it any way prejudicial to a most ardent love of God. Filial Love and Filial Fear are two Twins; but not ſuch as Jacob and Eſau, that ſtrive to ſupplant one another. The pure Flame of divine and heavenly Love is like other Flames, the higher it mounts the more it vibrates and trembles. Indeed St. John tells us,1 Joh. 4.18. opened.1 John 4:18 1 John 4.18. That perfect Love caſteth out Fear. It ſhould ſeem then that all Fear of God is ſwallowed up in thoſe Hearts that are once brought into an holy Love. But the Apoſtle doth very well explain himſelf in the reaſon that he gives of this Aſſertion in the next Words, Perfect Love caſteth out Fear, becauſe Fear hath Torment in it. Hence therefore we may diſtinguiſh of a twofold fear of God. The one is tormenting, cauſing unquiet rollings and eſtuations in the Heart, in a ſad ſuſpenſe of what our future and eternal State may prove, and this is ſlaviſh. Now this Fear perfect Love caſteth out and expells; for where p. 266divine Love is perfected in the Soul, there are no more ſuch Suſpences, Heſitations and Doubtings, what will become of it to Eternity. Now by perfect Love may be meant, either that ſtate of Perfection to which we ſhall attain in Glory, where our whole Work to all Eternity ſhall be to love and pleaſe God, or elſe that Perfection that conſiſts in its Sincerity in this Life: If we take it for that perfection of Love that ſhall for ever burn in our Hearts when we our ſelves ſhall be made perfect, ſo it is certain it will caſt out all tormenting Fears; for certainly if in Heaven Hope it ſelf ſhall be aboliſhed, much more ſhall Fear be aboliſhed, for there every Saint ſhall have much more than a full aſſurance, even a full fruition of Glory, and they ſhall know themſelves to be for ever confirmed in that bleſſed ſtate which ſhall prevent all doubts and fears. If we underſtand it of that perfection of Love that we may attain to in this Life, ſo alſo the ſtrong and vigorous actings of Love to God, caſteth out all tormenting Fears. It is not poſſible that that Soul that actually loves God with a vigorous and moſt ardent Affection, ſhould at the ſame time p. 267be rack'd with diſtracting fears of Hell and Damnation; for it is the ſenſe of God's Love unto the Soul that draws from it reciprocal Love again unto God. We love him, ſays the Apoſtle, becauſe he first loved us. That is, as ſtrong as our apprehenſions are of God's Love to us, ſo ſtrong will our Love be in its returns to God again. Water riſeth naturally as high as its Spring; wherefore the aſſurance of God's Love being the Spring from whence our Love flows, ſuch as is our Love, ſuch will be our aſſurance alſo: If then our Love be ſtrong in its actings it muſt needs caſt out Fear, becauſe it flows from that aſſurance with which tormenting Fear is utterly inconſiſtent. But then there is another kind of Fear that is not tormenting, and that is an awful frame of Heart ſtruck with reverential apprehenſions of God's infinite Majeſty, and our own vileneſs and unworthineſs; and this perfect Love doth not caſt out, but perfects, this awful, ſedate, calm fear of God. The Angels and the glorified Saints in Heaven, whoſe Love is ſo perfect that it can neither admit of an increaſe or abatement, yet they ſtand in aw and fear of the terrible Majeſty of p. 268the great God; the ſame infinit Excelencies of the divine Nature that attract their Love, doth alſo excite their Fear. See how the Prophet makes this an Argument to fear God, Jer. 10.7. Who would not fear thee, O King of Saints? For, ſaid he, in all the Earth there is none like unto thee. One would rather think Gods unparallel Excellencies and Perfections ſhould be a Motive to Love; who would not love thee, O King of Saints, ſince there is none in all the Earth like thee? Yea, but filial Fear and filial Love are of ſo near a kind and cognation, that they may well be enforced by one and the ſame Argument. Who would not fear thee? for in all the Earth there is none like thee. This is the Excellency of divine Love, it is an attractive of Love, and it is an excitement unto Fear. Well then, though we have no chilling Fear of a hot and ſcorching Hell, yet let us have an awful, reverential Fear of the glorious God, whoſe Excellencies are ſuch as cannot be matched, nor ſcarcely imitable by any in Heaven or in Earth.

p. 269Thirdly,3. A holy Fear of God is not contrary to the Spirit of Adoption. The Fear of God is not contrary to that free Spirit of Adoption which we receive in our firſt Converſion. It may perhaps ſeem to ſome that the Apoſtle oppoſeth them in Rom. 8.15. You have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to Fear, but the Spirit of Adoption, whereby you cry Abba, Father.

To this I Anſwer; That by the Spirit of Bondage here, the Apoſtle means the legal Work of the holy Ghoſt in Conviction that is preparatory to Converſion, which Work uſually is accompanied with dreadful Terrors, apprehending God not as a reconciled Father but as an incenſed and ſevere Judge; why now ſays the Apoſtle, You have not received this Spirit of Bondage again thus to fear; this is not that Fear that the conſideration of God, as your God and reconciled Father excited to you, this is not that Fear that the Apoſtle exhorts Chriſtians unto, but an awful, reverential Fear of God, whereby we ſhould ſtand in aw of his dread Majeſty, ſo as to be preſerved from whatever may be an offence to his Purity; and if in any Night of Deſertion it ſhould happen that the Hearts of true Believers ſhould be overwhelmed with diſmal Fears, apprehending p. 270God as enraged and incenſed againſt them, ſtanding in doubt of the goodneſs of their ſpiritual Condition; if this ſeize upon them after they have had the Spirit of Adoption, let them know this Fear is not from a Work of the Holy Ghoſt in them; they have not received the Spirit of Bondage again ſo to fear; it is not a Work of the Holy Ghoſt to excite in them doubts and fears of their ſpiritual Condition, after they have once had aſſurance of the goodneſs thereof, but it ariſeth either from ſome Ignorance, or from ſome Sin that they have committed, that interpoſeth betwixt them and the clear ſight of the diſcoveries of God's Love.

Now for the better underſtanding of this place, becauſe I judge it pertinent to my preſent purpoſe, I ſhall open it to you ſomewhat largely in theſe following Particulars.

1. The Work of Converſion is uſually carried on by legal Fear and Terrors.Firſt, The preparatory Work of Converſion is uſually carried on in the Soul by legal Fears and Terrors. I call that a legal Fear that is wrought in the Soul by the Dread-Threatnings and Denunciations of the Law. The Law, if we p. 271take it in its native Rigour, without the merciful qualification of Goſpel-grace, thunder'd out nothing but Execrations, Wrath and Vengeance againſt every Tranſgreſſor of it, repreſenting God armed alſo with his almighty Power to deſtroy them; this is that Glaſs that ſhew'd them their old Sins in moſt ugly Shapes; now they ſee them ſtare ghaſtly upon their Conſciences, that before allured them; the Scene is quite changed, and there are nothing but dreadful Apparitions of Death and Hell fleeting now before them, Hell belſh'd in their very Faces, God brandiſhed his flaming Sword over them ready to reeve their Hearts aſunder; they that lately were ſecure and fearleſs, now ſtand quaking under the fearful expectations of that fiery Wrath and Indignation, that they neither have hope to eſcape, nor yet have they Strength or Patience to endure. This is that legal Fear that the Curſe and Threatnings of the Law, when ſet home in their full acrimony, work in the Hearts of convinced Sinners.

p. 272Secondly,2. Slaviſh Fear engenders unto Bondage. This legal Fear is ſlaviſh, and engenders unto Bondage. There is Bondage under the reigning Power of Sin, and there is a Bondage under the terrifying Power of Sin: The former makes a Man a Slave unto the Devil, and the latter makes a Man a Slave unto God: And ſuch Slaves are all convinced Sinners that have not yet arrived to the free and filial Spirit of Adoption, but are kept under Bondage under the Wrath of God, and manacled in the Fetters of their own Fears. So ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 2.15. To deliver them, who through fear of Death, and of Hell that follows after it, were all their Lifetime ſubject unto Bondage.

Thirdly,3. Slaviſh Fear is wrought in the Soul by the Spirit. This ſlaviſh Fear is wrought in the Soul by the Spirit of God, though it be ſlaviſh; for it is his Office to convince as well as to comfort, and to caſt down by the Terrors of the Law as well as to raiſe up by the Promiſes of the Goſpel: In John 16.8. He ſhall convince the World of Sin; and therefore it is ſaid in this place, Rom. 8.15. We have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear, Rom. 8.15Rom 8:15implying that thoſe Terrors that p. 273ſeize upon the Conſcience are the Work of the Holy Ghoſt. We bring our ſelves into Bondage under Sin, and he brings us into Bondage under Fear. If therefore at any time, thou who art a ſecure Sinner, art ſuddenly ſurprized with fearful and trembling Thoughts concerning thy preſent ſtate of Sin and thy future ſtate of Wrath, beware thou liſten not to any that would perſuade thee it is nothing but a Fit of Melancholy or a Temptation of Satan, to drive thee to Deſpair, but know aſſuredly thy Conſcience is now under the Hand of the Holy Ghoſt himſelf, he raiſeth thoſe Tempeſts of Fear in thee; and as uſually it is fatal to divert and huſh them, ſo is it no leſs than ignorant Blaſphemy, to impute his Works to Melancholy, or to the Temptations of Satan.

Fourthly, When the Soul is prepared for the Work of Grace by the Work of Conviction, 4. When the Spirit hath been a Spirit of Bondage, it becomes a Spirit of Adoption.when it is prepared for Comfort by the Work of Humiliation, the ſame Spirit that was before a Spirit of Bondage, becomes now a Spirit of Adoption; that is, the Holy Ghoſt perſuades and aſſures us of the love and favour of God, and p. 274enables us, through divine Light beaming in upon our Conſciences, to behold him as a gracious and a reconciled Father, whom before we trembled at as a ſtern and terrible Judge. The ſame Wind that in a raging Storm toſſeth the Sea too and fro in reſtleſs Heaps, in a Calm doth only gently move and fan it with pleaſing Purles. So is it here; that Spirit of God that in Conviction raiſeth a Tempeſt in the Conſcience, afterwards the ſame Spirit breaths forth a ſweet Calm of Peace and Comfort upon it: The ſame Spirit that before was a Spirit of Bondage, when the Soul is ſufficiently thereby prepared for Grace, becomes a Spirit of Adoption. This is that Spirit of Adoption that is here ſpoken of, and is called ſo, becauſe it witneſſeth with our Spirits, that we are the Children of God by Adoption. God hath but one Son by eternal Generation, and that is Jeſus Chriſt, called therefore, The only begotten of the Father, John 1.14. He hath many Sons by Creation, even all Mankind; ſo Adam is called The Son of God, Luke 3.38. He hath many Sons alſo by Adoption, even all that are effectually called according to the purpoſe of his Grace; p. 275all that are ſanctified, who are of Strangers made Heirs of God, and Co-heirs with Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, who is the natural Son of God, as it is Rom. 8.17. Now becauſe it is the Work of the Holy Ghoſt to teſtifie to us this our great Privilege, that we are enrolled in the Family of Heaven and become the Children of God, therefore he is called the Spirit of Adoption; that is, the Spirit that witneſſeth to us our Adoption.

Fifthly, To whom the Spirit hath once been a Spirit of Adoption, 5. Where the Spirit hath once been a Spirit of Adoption, it never more becomes a Spirit of Bondage.it never more becomes to them a Spirit of Bondage and Fear: That is, it never again proclaims War, after it hath ſpoken Peace; it never repreſents God as an inraged Enemy, after it hath repreſented him as a reconciled Father. It is true, the Spirit of God always keeps up his convincing Office in the Soul of the moſt aſſured Saint; it convinceth them of Sin, and of Wrath due to them for Sin.A twofold Conviction of Sin. But now there is a twofold Conviction, there is a Conviction of the Evil of particular Actions, and there is a Conviction of the Evil of our State and Condition: Why now, though upon particular Miſcarriages of Gods Children, p. 276the Holy Ghoſt ſecretly ſmited their Conſciences, ſhewing them the Guilt and Evil of their Sins, thereby bringing them to Repentance and a godly Sorrow; yet the Holy Ghoſt never again teſtified to them, that they are in a graceleſs, unregenerate and ſinful Eſtate and Condition, and in a State of Wrath and Condemnation; it brings them to a deep Humiliation, by convincing them of the Evil of their Actions, but it never brings them into legal Terrors, by convincing them of a ſinful State; neither indeed can it be ſo, for the Spirit of God is a Spirit of Truth; and to witneſs that we are yet Children of Wrath, who are indeed the adopted Children of God, this were a falſe Teſtimony, and therefore utterly abhorred by the Spirit of God, who is a Spirit of Truth: Doth the ſame Fountain ſend forth ſweet Water and bitter? Doth there proceed from one and the ſame Mouth, Bleſſings and Curſes? Certainly the ſame Spirit that hath once pronounced us to be in the Love and Favour of God, never after pronounceth us to be Curſed, and under the Wrath of God.

p. 277Object. But you will ſay, Have not the beſt of God's Children ſometimes concluded themſelves to be reprobated and caſt away? Have they not lain under ſad and fearful apprehenſions of God's Wrath? Have not ſome of them, who formerly walked in the Light of God's Countenance and flouriſhed in their Aſſurance, yet afterwards have been ſo dejected, that they would not entertain any comfort or hopes of Mercy and Salvation?

Anſw. To this I Anſwer; It is true, it may indeed ſo happen that thoſe Saints, whoſe Joys and Comforts are at one time freſh and verdent, at another time wither and drop off, ſo that they look upon themſelves as rotten Trees, deſtinated to make Fuel for Hell. Whence proceeds this? It is not from the Spirit of God; but as carnal Men are apt to miſtake the firſt Work of Conviction for Melancholy or for Temptation, ſo this really proceeds from one of theſe two Cauſes. When the Children of God, after full aſſurance, come again not only to entertain Doubts of their Condition, but alſo to deſpair of themſelves, looking on themſelves as Perſons p. 278that God hath ſingled out to Deſtruction; this proceeds not from the Holy Ghoſt, but from Melancholy or Temptation. Sometimes natural Melancholy obſtructs the ſenſe of divine Comfort: As it is in clear Water, when it is ſtill and tranſparent the Sun ſhines to the very bottom, but if you ſtir the Mud, preſently it grows ſo thick that no Light can pierce into it: So is it with the Children of God, though their apprehenſions of God's Love be as clear and tranſparent ſometimes as the very Air that the Angels and glorified Saints breath in, in Heaven, yet if once the muddy Humor of Melancholy ſtirs, they become dark, ſo that no Light or Ray of Comfort can break in to the deſerted Soul. And then ſometimes the Devil cauſeth theſe Tragedies by his Temptations, that ſo, if it were poſſible, he might drive them to Diſpair; he hated their Graces, he envies their Comforts, and therefore he would perſuade them that all their former Joys were but Deluſions, proud Dreams and preſumptuous Fanſies, and that they are ſtill in the Gall of Bitterneſs, and in the Bond of Iniquity; and by ſuch Suggeſtions as theſe are, when he cannot hinder the Work p. 279of Grace, he ſtrives what he can to hinder the Senſe of Comfort. When, therefore, thoſe that have once rejoyced under the comfortable Perſuaſions of God's Love to them, the Holy Ghoſt witneſſing himſelf to them to be a Spirit of Adoption, by being in them a Spirit of Sanctification; if they now find themſelves under the Bondage of legal Fears and Terrors and ſlaviſh Dejections, looking upon themſelves as under the revenging Wrath of God, and as Perſons devoted to Deſtruction; let them know, ſuch Fears proceed not from the Convictions of the Spirit of God, who hath been a Spirit of Adoption, but it proceeds from the Deluſions of Satan; for thoſe that once receive the Spirit of Adoption, never receive the Spirit of Bondage again to fear; that is, to fear with a ſlaviſh, tormenting Fear.

Sixthly,6. We ought to fear God, tho' we know him to be our God. A reverential, filial Fear of God, may and ought to poſſeſs our Souls, while the Spirit of God, who is a Spirit of Adoption, is, by the cleareſt Evidences, actually witneſſing our Son-ſhip to us. Let Men boaſt what they will of their high Goſpel-attainments, yet certainly they p. 280have not the genuine Diſpoſition of God's Children, whoſe Love to him is not mingled with Fear, and whoſe Fear of him is not encreaſed by their Love. Love! it is the Gage and Meaſure of all our Affections; and according to the proportion of our Love to God, ſuch will be our Fear; that is, the more we love God, the more we ſhall fear his Diſpleaſure and the Loſs of his Favour. It is in vain for us to pretend love to God as our Father, unleſs we fear him alſo as our Lord and Maſter. Chriſt who was his only begotten Son, and certainly had much more clear aſſurance of the love and favour of God, than any adopted Sons can poſſibly have, yet the Scripture aſcribes an holy, awful, reverential Fear of God even unto him; Heb. 5.7. When he offered up Prayers with ſtrong Cries and Tears, and was heard in that he feared; it may be render'd, he was heard becauſe of his godly Fear. So in Iſa. 11.2. The Spirit of the Lord ſhall reſt upon him, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord, ſpeaking of Chriſt. If therefore he feared God, who was himſelf to be feared as God equal to him and his eternal Son, how much more ought we p. 281to fear the great God, who are, as it were, but Up-ſtarts in the Family of Heaven; we wretched and forlorn Out-caſts, that were but lately raked out of the Dunghil, and by meer Pity taken up into the Boſom of God, and nurtured as his Children? And thus you ſee the Fear of God is not in the leaſt contrary to the free Spirit of Adoption.

Fourthly,4. A Fear of God is no Impediment to a holy Rejoycing in God. An awful Fear of God is no Impediment to a holy Rejoycing. Indeed ſlaviſh Fear damps all true Joy. Thoſe that Fear and expect the Revengings of God cannot have any true Joy; they may have a kind of mad Jollity that ſpends it ſelf in Noiſe and Tumults, that may roar out Songs of Mirth, only to drown the loud Roarings of their own Conſciences. Such as theſe are like your new Liquor that works over into Foam and Froth, when the bottom is thick and troubl'd. So in this falſe Joy, the Countenance runs over with Laughter, when yet the Heart is brim full of the Wrath of God; of ſuch the wiſe Man ſpeaks, Prov. 14.13.Prov. 14.13.Prov 14:13 Even in Laughter the Heart is ſorrowful. But now a filial fear of God, puts no check at all upon p. 282our holy Rejoycing in him; ſpiritual Joy is not of that flaſhy Nature, but it is a ſober and a ſevere Grace, it is Joy mixed with Fear; and becauſe of the mixture of theſe two together, the fear of God with joy in the Lord, therefore we find theſe two are promiſcuouſly aſcribed each to other; ſo in Iſa. 60.5. Their Hearts ſhall fear and be enlarged. You know it is the property of Joy to extend and enlarge the Heart; Fear contracts and draws it together, but here Fear is ſaid to dilate the Heart, to denote to us, that a Chriſtians Fear is always conjoyned and mingled together with his Joy. And ſo on the other Hand it is ſaid,Pſal. 2.11.Ps 2:11 Pſal. 2.11. Serve the Lord with Fear, and rejoyce with Trembling. Fear with Trembling is more proper and natural; but becauſe of the mixture of theſe two Graces in the Heart of a Chriſtian, therefore the Holy Ghost thus expreſſeth it, Rejoyce with Trembling; for great Joys as well as great Fears, cauſe a kind of trembling and fluttering in the Heart: As it was with the two Women, whom the Angels aſſured of Chriſt's Reſurrection,Mat. 28.8.Matt 28:8 Mat. 28.8. They departed from the Sepulchre with Fear and great Joy. So is it with thoſe Chriſtians, p. 283who by the Eye of Faith looking upon the Death and into the Sepulchre of Jeſus Chriſt, are aſſured that he is riſen for their Juſtification, cannot but have their Hearts filled with a quaking and a fearful Joy: Even a Chriſtians ſtrong Praiſes are breathed out with a ſhaking and a trembling Voice; ſo that godly Fear is no Impediment to a holy and a ſevere Rejoycing in God as our Saviour.

Fifthly,5. Godly fear lays no check on our freedom and boldneſs with God. Godly Fear lays no check upon our holy freedom and boldneſs with God. God hath eſtabliſhed a Throne of Grace whereon he ſets, and unto which he invites his People to approach with a becoming Confidence, Heb. 4.16. Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace. As that Emperor counted his Clemency diſparaged when any delivered a Petition to him with a ſhaking Hand, as though he doubted of his Favour; ſo God loves when we make our Addreſſes to him, that we ſhould do it with full aſſurance of Faith, nothing doubting of acceptance with him, and of an Anſwer from him. He that asks timorouſly, only begs a Denial from God. But yet that this boldneſs may not degenerate p. 284into rudeneſs and irreverence, he requires that our Freedom with him be tempered with an awful Fear of him. We muſt come in all Humility and Proſtration of Soul, with broken Hearts and bended Knees, to touch that golden Scepter that he holds forth to us.

Thus you ſee in theſe five Things, how conſiſtent the Grace of Fear is with other Graces of the Spirit; it is no Impediment to a full Aſſurance, its no Hinderance to Love, its no Impediment to a Spirit of Adoption, nor to a holy Rejoycing, no, nor to a holy Boldneſs.

Wherein ſlaviſh and filial Fear differ.Now becauſe I have made frequent mention of filial and ſlaviſh Fear, that you may the better underſtand what each of theſe means, I ſhall briefly give you the difference betwixt them.In their Concomitants and in their Effects. Now they differ in their Concomitants, and in their Effects.

1. In their Concomitants.Firſt, Slaviſh Fear hath always two dreadful Concomitants; and they are Diſpair, and Hatred or Enmity againſt God.

p. 2851. In ſlaviſh Fear there is always ſome degree of Diſpair: In ſlaviſh Fear there is always ſome degree of Diſpair.Now this ſlaviſh Fear is joined with dreadful expectations of Wrath. A Slave that hath committed a Fault, expects no other than to be puniſhed for it without Mercy. So thoſe that lie under this ſlaviſh Fear, apprehend and account of God no otherwiſe than the ſlothful Servant, as a ſevere Lord and a cruel Tyrant, that will exact Puniſhment from them to the utmoſt of their Deſerts; they expect no other but that certainly God's Wrath will kindle upon them and burn them eternally, and this makes them live as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in Heb. 10.27. In certain fearful Expectations of Wrath and Indignation, that ſhall devour them as Adverſaries. This kind of horrid Fear I doubt not but is common to moſt wicked Men; and though they brave it out, and moſt of them ſpeak high Matters of their hopes of Heaven and Salvation, yet at the ſame time their own Hearts and Conſciences tell them ſad and miſgiving Stories of Hell and everlaſting Wrath. But now a true and filial Fear of God looks at the Wrath of God with Dread and Terror, but not p. 286with Expectation; there's the Difference. Slaviſh Fear looks upon the Wrath of God, and expects it; Filial Fear looks upon it as due, but not with Expectations that it ſhould be inflicted upon it.

2. Slaviſh Fear is accompanied with hatred of God.2. Slaviſh Fear is always accompanied with ſome degree of Enmity and Hatred againſt God. It is natural for us to hate thoſe that we fear with a ſlaviſh Fear. He that thinks God will certainly puniſh him, muſt out of ſelf-love needs be provoked to hate God: Hence is it that the Soul that lies under the Terrors of the Law, wiſheth that there was no ſuch thing as Hell and eternal Damnation, nay, that there was no God to inflict this upon it: This proceeds from this ſlaviſh Fear of God. But now a reverent Fear of God is joined with a holy Love, as Children who love their Parents, but yet ſtand in awe of them. So much for the Concomitants of this Fear.

2. They differ in their Effects.Secondly, For their Effects; and that both as to Sin, and as to Duty.

p. 2871. As to Sin;1. As to Sin. Slaviſh Fear dreads nothing but Hell and Puniſhment, but godly Fear dreads Sin it ſelf: The one fears only to burn, the other fears for to ſin. As Auſtin ſaith well, He fears Hell only who fears not to ſin, but fears to burn; but he fears to ſin, who hates ſin as he would hate Hell.

2. Slaviſh Fear uſually reſtrains only 2from external, and thoſe alſo the more groſs and notorious Acts of ſin; but holy Fear over-awes the Heart from inward and ſecret Sins, yea, from the leaſt Sins whatſoever.

And then as for Duty alſo,2. As to Duty in two Things briefly.

Firſt, A ſlaviſh Fear of God makes 1Men to conſult how they may fly from God: As Adam did, when he had brought Guilt upon his Conſcience by his Fall, he hides himſelf from God in the Garden. Guilt loves not the preſence of its Judge: But godly Fear is ſtill exciting the Soul to approach near to God in Duty. And therefore David ſaith, Pſal. 5.7. In thy Fear will I worſhip towards p. 288thy holy Temple. The Fear of God encourageth the Soul in the performance of Duty.

2Secondly, Slaviſh Fear contents it ſelf with external Performances. Juſt ſo much as will ſerve the turn, to ſatisfie the Demands of Conſcience; but holy Fear ſanctifies the Lord in Duty as well as ſatisfies Conſcience: And therefore you have it in Iſa. 8.13. Sanctify the Lord of Host in your Hearts, and let him be your Fear and your Dread. Thus much briefly for the difference betwixt filial and ſlaviſh Fear.

Uſe 1 I come now to the Application: And the firſt Uſe ſhall be by way of Corollary. If the conſideration of God as a conſuming Fire ought to affect the moſt aſſured Chriſtian with a holy Fear and Dread of God, how much more then may it ſhrink and ſhrivel up the Hearts of ungodly Sinners? If it make God's own Children to tremble to look into Hell, and to ſee thoſe heaps of miſerable Wretches that are there burning for ever, ſhall it not much more make you to tremble, who are liable every moment to be bound in Bundles, and to be caſt in to burn among them? p. 289When a City is on Fire it is terrible to ſee it rage afar off, to ſee it ſpue up Smoak and Flames, tho' at a diſtance, and he that is not affected with it is Inhuman; but he is more than ſtupid, that doth not tremble to ſee it devour whole Streets before it, ruining all till it approach near his own Dwelling: Why, Sirs, this conſuming Fire hath already ſeized upon Millions of others, and burnt them down into the loweſt Hell: Do not you hear Dives, in the Goſpel, cry Fire, Fire? The greateſt part of the World is already burnt down; and if their Caſe makes not your Hearts to ſhake and tremble, yet methinks your own ſhould: This Fire is catching and kindling upon your Souls, and the next moment may make you Brands in Hell. But, alas! what hope is there to affright Men that are faſt aſleep? Such a dead Security hath ſeized upon the Hearts of moſt, that it is almoſt impoſſible to rouze them, and but little hope but that they will be burnt in this their Sleep: Yet if it may be poſſible to awaken you, conſider,

p. 2901. God's Wrath againſt Sinners, makes him terrible to his Saints.Firſt, That it is only God's Wrath against Sinners, that makes him terrible to his Saints: They are afraid of that fiery Indignation that burned againſt the Wicked; and ſhall not the Wicked then much more be afraid, that muſt themſelves feel it? Our God, ſays the Apoſtle, is a conſuming Fire; but to whom is he ſuch a conſuming Fire? Not to thoſe certainly whoſe God he is; He ſhall burn up all the Wicked of the Earth as Stubble. That God doth not always ſtile himſelf a gracious God and a reconciled Father, but ſometimes puts on dreadful Titles, his Children owe it to the Wicked; againſt them alone it is that he arrays himſelf with all his Terrors: As a Father may affright his Children, by putting on thoſe Arms that he uſeth only againſt his Enemies; So God daunts his own Children by appearing in his dread Power, his ſevere Juſtice and conſuming Wrath; but how much more may it apale his Enemies, upon whom he intends to execute all this in the utmoſt rigour and extremity?

p. 291Secondly,2. God himſelf is this conſuming Fire. Another Conſideration that may make the moſt ſecure Sinner to tremble is this, That God himſelf will be the immediate Inflicter of their Puniſhments. They ſhall be conſumed by Fire, and offer'd up as a burnt Sacrifice to the Wrath and Juſtice of God; and that Fire that ſhall for ever burn them is God himſelf, God is a conſuming Fire. I do not deny but that there is another material Fire prepared and blown up in Hell for the puniſhment of the Damned, but certainly their moſt ſubtle and exquiſite Torture ſhall be from God himſelf, who is this conſuming Fire. This Wrath of God, which ſhall for ever burn and enflame the Souls of the Damned, is called fiery Indignation, Heb. 10.17.Heb 10:17Heb. 10.17. That Fire that deſtroyed Nadab and Abihu was but a Type of this, and the Antitype infinitely tranſcends the Type; the dreadfulneſs of their temporal Death by Fire was but a faint reſemblance of the Death of the Soul; what Fire muſt that be, of which that extraordinary Fire that fell down from Heaven it ſelf, was but a meer Shadow? As the Fire that came down upon Elijah's Sacrifice did lick up the p. 292Water that was poured into the Trenches; ſo this fiery Indignation of God ſhall, in Hell, melt down the Damned, as it were, and then lick up their very Spirits and Souls.Pſal. 104.4.Ps 104:4 It is ſaid, Pſal. 104.4. That God makes his Angels a flaming Fire. It is the neareſt repreſentation that is given of the Angelical Nature, that abounds both in ſubtilty and force; He makes his Angels a flaming Fire. Now when Chriſt ſaith, Go into thoſe flames of Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; why the Devils themſelves are Flames of Fire, and what Fire can be more piercing than themſelves, who have power over Fire? Yet there is a greater Fire than they, God is a conſuming Fire, a Fire ſo infinitely ſcorching as will burn and torment even Fire it ſelf. It would be unſpeakable, terrible Wrath in God, if he ſhould make uſe of his Creatures for the puniſhment of the Damned. Who could bear it, if God ſhould only keep a Man living for ever in the midſt of a Furnace, though but of a groſs, earthly Fire and Flames? Or, if God ſhould bind a Man Hand and Foot, and caſt him into a deep Pit full of Toads, Adders and Scorpions, and there let him lie p. 293for ever? God knows all the ſeveral Stings that are in his Creatures, and he can take out of them the moſt ſharp and piercing Ingredients; the ſharpneſs of the Sword, the inflammations of Poiſons, the ſcorchings of Fire, the anguiſh of Pains, the faintneſs of Diſeaſes, and of all theſe can make a moſt tormenting Compoſition; and if he ſhould make uſe of this Compoſition, what intolerable Anguiſh would this cauſe? If then Creatures can cauſe ſuch Torture, oh! what a dreadful thing is it to fall into the Hands of God himſelf? When God conveys his Wrath by Creatures, it muſt needs loſe infinitely in the very conveyance of it: It is but as if a Giant ſhould ſtrike one with a Straw or a Feather; ſo when God takes up one Creature to ſtrike another with, that Blow can be but weak; and yet how terrible are thoſe weak Blows to us? What will it be then, when God ſhall immediately cruſh us by the unrebated Force of his own Almighty Arm? You, therefore, that perſevere in Sin and in Security too, conſider who you have to deal with, not with Creatures but with God himſelf; and do you not fear that uncreated Fire that can wrap p. 294you up in the Flames of his eſſential Wrath, and burn you for ever? Can thine Heart endure, or can thine Hands be ſtrong, ſays God, in the day that I ſhall deal with thee? The very Weakneſs of God is ſtronger than Men; God can look a Man to Death. The Breath of a Man's Noſtrils is a ſoft and quiet Thing, and yet the very Breath of God's Noſtrils can blaſt the Soul, and burn it to a very Cinder: Oh! then tremble to think what Wrath his heavy Hand can inflict upon them; that Hand that ſpreads out the Heavens, and in the hollow of which he holds the great Waters of the Sea; that Hand of God in which his great Strength lies; oh! what Wrath will it inflict upon thee, when it falls upon thee in the full Power of his Might?

3. This conſuming Fire is unquenchable.Thirdly, Conſider this conſuming Fire, after it hath once ſeized upon the Soul, is for ever unquenchable. Indeed thou mayeſt hinder it from kindling upon thy Soul. As when a Houſe is on Fire, they uſe to ſpout Water upon the Walls of the neighbouring Houſes, to keep the Flames from catching hold of them: So you may, by ſprinkling the Blood p. 295of Jeſus Chriſt, and by moiſtning your ſelves with the Tears of true Repentance, prevent this conſuming Fire from preying upon you; but if once it kindles, it will there burn everlaſtingly; it is not like your ſublunary Fires; theſe ſpend the Matter they feed on, and be they of never ſo great force they muſt at length themſelves ſtarve for want of Fuel; yea, the ſooner they conſume, the ſooner are they themſelves conſumed, as in Straw and other light combuſtible Matter; but God is ſuch a Fire as conſumes without diminiſhing, and his Power is ſuch a Power as deſtroys the Soul and yet perpetuates it; he is ſuch a wiſe and intelligent Fire as conſumes the Damned and yet repairs them, and by tormenting ſtill nouriſhes them for future Torments. As Minutius ſpeaks; the ſame Breath of God that deſtroys the Soul, ſtill keeps it alive, that it may be eternal Fuel for it ſelf. Hence is it that Hell-Fire is deſcribed to be ſuch as ſhall never be quenched, Mark 9.44. And why? but becauſe the Breath of the Lord, like a fiery Stream, is ſtill kindling of it. Why now into the midſt of this devouring Fire muſt the Damned dwell, without any period p. 296either to their Being or to their Torment, and when they have lain there frying millions and millions of Years, ſtill is it but a beginning of their Sorrows, and they are as far from a Releaſe and Diſcharge as they were at the firſt. Think with your ſelves, how long and how tedious a little time ſeems to you when you are in Pain; you complain then, that Time hath leaden Feet, and wiſh that the Days and Hours would roll away faſter: Oh! what will it be then, when you ſhall lie Sweating, Sweltring and Frying in Hell, when the intolerableneſs of Pain ſhall make every Hour ſeem an Age, and every Year ſeem a long Eternity it ſelf, and yet you muſt lie an Eternity of thoſe Years there? This makes their Torments doubly everlaſting. Methinks the dreadful Thoughts of this eternally conſuming Fire, ſhould make the ſtouteſt Heart to quake, or at leaſt to cauſe a cold Fit of Fear, before this burning and ſcorching Torment begins.

4. God is ſuch a conſuming Fire as will prey upon the Soul.Fourthly, God is ſuch a conſuming Fire as will prey upon the Soul, that tender and ſpiritual part of Man. The more groſs the Subject is, the more dull are p. 297the Pains that it ſuffers; but where the Subject is ſpiritual, there the Anguiſh muſt needs be extream; the ſharpeſt Torments that the Body is capable of, is but a dull Thing in compariſon of what the Soul can feel; when God himſelf ſhall laſh the Soul, that more refined part, drawing Blood at every ſtroke, all compariſons falls ſhort of expreſſing of the Anguiſh of it: To ſhoot poiſon'd Darts inflamed into a Man's Marrow, to rip up his Bowels with a Sword red hot, is as nothing to this. Think what it is to have a drop of boiling, ſcalding Oil, or melting Lead fall into your Eyes, and make it boil and burn till at laſt it falls out of your Heads; ſuch Torments, yea, infinitely more than this, is it to have the Wrath of God fall upon your Souls. The Soul it is the Principle of all Seats, the Body is a kind of Fence to it, it damps and deadens the Smart, as a Blow upon a cloathed Man is not ſo painful as upon one that is ſtark Naked; why now if the Soul ſometimes feels ſuch Smart and Pain through the Body, what ſhall it feel when God ſhall pour his Wrath upon it ſtark Naked?

p. 2985. The longer we live in Sin, the more we prepare our Souls to be Fuel for this conſuming Fire.Fifthly, Conſider the longer thou livest in thy Sins impenitently, the more dost thou prepare thy Soul to be fit Fuel for this conſuming Fire to devour: This is but like the Oiling of a Barrel of Pitch, which of it ſelf was apt enough before to burn. Thoſe whom the Wrath of God ſnatches away in the beginning of their Days, are made Fuel for that conſuming Fire; and if it be done ſo to the green Tree, what will be done to the dry and rotten Tree? Thou that haſt ſtood many Years rotting in the World, when God ſhall come and cut thee down and caſt thee into unquenchable Fire, how ſoon will thou kindle and how dreadfully wilt thou burn, having no Sap left in thee to allay and mitigate thoſe Flames? Certainly would but the moſt hardned Sinner here preſent, call his Thoughts aſide awhile, and ſeriouſly bethink himſelf what he hath been doing ever ſince he came into the World, this muſt needs ſtrike him as cold as a Stone, making him to Fear and Tremble to conſider, that all this time he hath, by his Sinning, been treaſuring up Wrath againſt the Day of Wrath, heaping up Coals, p. 299yea, burning Coals upon his own Head. Every time you ſin, what do you elſe but caſt in another Faggot to that Pile of much Wood, prepared to burn you for ever? Oh! that theſe dreadful and amazing Conſiderations might, at length, rouze and awaken your Hearts to fear this conſuming Fire, and to tremble at that Wrath that is now kindling in God's Breaſt againſt you, and which will, if you repent not, ere long kindle upon you.

Queſtion. But you will ſay, to fear God only becauſe he is a conſuming Fire, meerly becauſe of his Wrath and fiery Indignation, is but, at beſt, a ſlaviſh Fear; it is but to fear him as the Devils do, for they believe and tremble; and of what uſe and benefit will ſuch a Fear as this is be?

Anſw. 1 I Anſwer; It is true, Firſt, to fear God meerly upon the account of Wrath is but a ſlaviſh Fear;It is better to fear God ſlaviſhly, than to periſh ſecurely. but yet it is far better to fear God ſlaviſhly, than to periſh ſecurely; that will come with redoubled Terror which comes unexpectedly. How intolerable will Hell be to thoſe, eſpecially, that never fear it till they feel it? When Sinners ſhall ſee p. 300themſelves ſurrounded with Flames of Fire, before ever they thought themſelves in any danger; when they ſhall awake with the Flames of Hell flaſhing and flaming about them, what Screechings and Yellings will this cauſe? This is to periſh as a Fool periſheth, to go on ſecurely in Sin, till unexpectedly a Dart ſuddenly ſtrikes through his Liver. Whatever the Event be, yet it becomes the Reaſon of a Man to be affected with Fear, proportionable to the Evil that he lies obnoxious to; therefore whether this ſlaviſh Fear ends in Torment or not, yet it is more rational to fear that we are expoſed to it, than to be ſecure and go down into Torments, and never to fear them till we feel them.

2. Slaviſh Fear will deter Men from ſcandalous Sins.Secondly, This Fear, though a ſlaviſh Fear, is of great efficacy to deter Men from the outward Acts of more groſs and ſcandalous Sins. He that puts Hell betwixt him and his Sins, will ſcarce be ſo daring as to venture through a Lake of Fire and Brimſtone to commit them. God thought he had ſet a ſufficient Guard upon the Tree of Life, when he placed Cherubims and a flaming p. 301Sword to keep Men from it; but to keep Men from Sin, he hath placed a Guard far more dreadful than Angels or a flaming Sword; he hath placed himſelf, a conſuming Fire, to deter Men from Sin; and they certainly that have any Fear or Dread of God upon their Hearts, will judge it too too hot a Work to break through this Fire to their Luſts. The Thoughts of Hell and thoſe everlaſting Torments due to Sin, have doubtleſs been often uſed with good ſucceſs to repel Satan's Temptations; when no other Arguments poſſibly could prevail, yet when the Devil hath caſt fiery Darts at them, they have caſt Fire-brands again at him, and ſo have overcome him.

Thirdly, 3. Slaviſh Fear will mitigate Wrath.Where the fear of Wrath doth prevail to reſtrain Men from Sin, this is a good Effect, for it doth leſſen and mitigate that Wrath that they fear. Thoſe that add Iniquity to Iniquity, without Fear upon them, God will heap Plague upon Plague, without meaſure; he proportions Mens Puniſhments to their Sins, and thoſe that Fear moſt ſhall feel leaſt; that Fear of theirs that kept them from the groſs p. 302Acts of Sins that others boldly ruſh into, that Fear ſhall likewiſe keep them from the ſoreſt Torments that others ſhall for ever ſuffer.

4. Slaviſh Fear is preparatory to, and inductive of filial Fear.Fourthly, This ſlaviſh Fear is Iſagogical; that is, it is preparatory to and inductive of a filial and holy Fear of God. We uſually fear God firſt as a revenging Judge, before we come to fear him with a reverential, filial Fear, as a reconciled Father. As the Poet of Old fabulouſly fanſied, that the Giants heaped Mountain upon Mountain, that they might ſcale Heaven. This is true in Chriſtianity, the way to climb Heaven is by laying one Mountain upon another, even Mount Sion upon Mount Sinai. Thoſe commonly prove the moſt ſtable and ſtayed Chriſtians, that have been moſt harraſſed by legal Terrors before they enjoy the ſenſe of Comfort; for the Structure of Grace in the Heart is quite contrary to other Buildings; it ſtands firmeſt when it is laid upon a ſhaking and trembling Foundation. It is a Seed that never thrives ſo well as where the Heart is moſt broken up, and where the Wrath of God hath made long and deep Furrows in it.

p. 303Well now to conclude this, methinks what hath already been ſpoken, ſhould fill the Heart of every carnal Wretch with Fear; methinks this ſhould make them cry out with thoſe Sinners in Sion, Iſa. 33.14.Iſa. 33.14.Isa 33:14 Who among us ſhall dwell with devouring Fire? Who among us ſhall dwell with everlaſting Burnings? Can the Drunkard hear theſe things, and yet put his intemperate Cups to his Mouth with a ſteady Hand? Can the Swearer hear theſe things, and yet his Tongue move ſteady in his Mouth, and not tremble when he raps out Oaths? Certainly how ſecure and confident ſoever Men may now be, yet there is a time coming when the Wrath of God ſhall melt down their Hearts like Wax, in the midſt of their Bowels. Death is a thundring Preacher, and it will make you fear the dreadful Repreſentations of that fiery Indignation, that ſhortly it will diſplay before your Eyes in all its Terrors. Oh! when your Eyes ſhall ſwim in the Night and in the Dark, and it cannot be long firſt, when you ſhall meet with thoſe dreadful Shapes and Viſions of a flaming Hell and a more flaming God, it will be p. 304too late then to Fear, and alas! it will be too late then to Hope, God will then laugh at your Calamity; and mock at you when this unſeaſonable Fear cometh. Be perſuaded, therefore, to entertain a Fear of God at laſt, though but a ſlaviſh Fear; this is the preparation that the Holy Ghoſt works in the Heart, in order to a filial and a holy Fear of God.

Uſe 2 Secondly, Another Uſe that we may make of this Point is this: If God be a conſuming Fire, how highly doth it concern us to look out for a Screen that may fence us from thoſe everlaſting Burnings? We are Stubble and Fuel fully prepared, our Sins have made us ſo, and for us to ſtand it out againſt God, is no other than for dried Stubble to challenge the devouring Fire. Now God, that he might not break forth upon us and deſtroy us, hath himſelf prepared a Screen to hide and ſhelter us from this flaming Wrath, and that is Chriſt the Mediator. We have a lively Type of this in Aaron, Numb. 16.48.Num 16:48Numb. 16.48. when the rebellious Iſraelites mutined againſt Moſes, God did ſuddenly break forth upon them, and ſlew almoſt fifteen p. 305hundred thouſand of them Dead upon the Place. As Fire runs on a Train of Powder, ſo did this Wrath of God paſs ſwiftly from one to another, till Aaron interpoſed and ſtopt it; there ſtood that mighty Prieſt as a Bulwark betwixt the living and the dead, and intercepted the reſt from this deſtroying Wrath; and though it overwhelmed ſo many Thouſands, yet it could not bear down his powerful Interceſſion; he alone was the Fence and Safeguard of a periſhing People. Chriſt upon the Croſs maintains the ſame Station, interpoſing betwixt the Living and the Dead; the Wrath of God conſumes all before it that is not under the Protection of that Screen, there it ſtops; and though it ſeized fiercely upon him too, yet it never burnt through him to reach thoſe that fled for Security to that Refuge ſet before them. In a general Conflagration, even Chaff and Stubble may be ſecure, under the Covert of an Adamantine Wall. Though all the Wicked of the World ſhall burn together, and all Believers be in themſelves as combuſtible Matter as they, yet Chriſt interpoſeth as a Wall of Adamant betwixt Stubble and Stubble; and when p. 306the Wrath of God hath conſumed the one, he ſtands and keeps off the Impreſſions of it from the other. Indeed there is a Wall that ſtands betwixt God and every wicked Man, but it is a Wall of Partition, as the Apoſtle calls it, Epheſ. 2.14.Eph. 2.14.Eph 2:14 it is a Wall that ſeparates them from the Love and Favour of God, and hides his Face from them. A Partition of dry and rotten Boards may keep off the Light and kindly Influences of the Sun, but it is no Fence againſt the Rage of Fire, but rather encreaſeth and augments it. So wicked Men are ſeparated from the Love and Favour of God by their Sins, Iſa. 59.2. Your Iniquities have ſeparated betwixt you and your God; yea, and they keep off his cheriſhing Influences, but they contribute to his fiery Wrath. Why now Chriſt is a Wall of Defence, that ſeparates his from the Wrath and Indignation of God. A Wall of Cryſtal is a ſafe Defence againſt the force of Fire, yet is it no obſtruction to the warm Beams and cheriſhing Light of the Sun. Such a Cryſtal Wall is Chriſt, that keeps off God's fiery Indignation from us, but yet conveys to us the cheriſhing and reviving Influences of his Love. p. 307Let me now perſuade and prevail with you to betake your ſelves to this ſhelter. The ſame Storm of Fire and Brimſtone that deſtroyed Sodom, hovers over all the Wicked of the World, and we are as Lot, ſtill lingring behind; let me therefore haſten you, as the Angel did him, to your Zoar, to get under the Protection of Chriſt, whether the fiery Indignation of God cannot purſue you. In the former Inſtance, when the Iſraelites ſaw ſo many of their Fellows ſlain by an un-perceived Stroke, what running and crowding was there, think you, to get behind the Prieſt? Why we are all in the ſame Danger, but we have a more prevalent High-Prieſt: There are Thouſands dying and periſhing under the Wrath of God; and ſhall not we then with Fear and Trembling, preſs cloſe behind our High Prieſt, that by him we may be hid from this conſuming Fire?

Uſe 3 Thirdly, The next Ʋſe ſhall be to exhort you to a holy Fear and Reverence of this great and terrible God. I lately gave you ſeveral Conſiderations, enough to daunt the boldeſt Sinners, and to bring them at leaſt to a ſlaviſh Fear: Be perſuaded p. 308now to advance it a Degree higher, and to over-awe your Hearts with a holy, filial Fear of God. It is the ſame Exhortation that Solomon gives us, Prov. 23.17. Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the Day long. This is a true Chriſtians frame, when in all the Affairs and Actions of our Lives, in what Company ſoever we are in, or whatever we are doing, the Fear of God is ſtill upon us, when in all our Converſe in the World this Fear of God doth ſtill fill and poſſeſs our Hearts. I ſhall only give you a few Particulars, and leave them to your ſerious Conſideration.

1Firſt, This holy Fear of God will keep you from a vain and frothy Spirit. The Fear of God will keep you from a vain and frothy Spirit.The Heart of Man is the great Receptacle of Thoughts; the moſt part of them are light and feathery, they fly up and down as thick, and to as little purpoſe, as Moats in a Sun-beam. It is ſtrange to obſerve what a giddy Thing the Mind of Man is: As an empty Veſſel rolls too and fro, and is toſſed up and down by every Wave, never ſailing ſteadily; ſo is the vain Mind of Man driven by every fooliſh and impertinent Thought, till the fear of God, that p. 309is, the Ballaſt of the Soul, poiſe it and make its Courſe ſteady and even. Certainly if any thing be of force to compoſe the Heart into a ſober, ſerious Frame, it is the conſideration of God's great and dreadful Majeſty, the fear of which will fill us with noble and ſubſtantial Thoughts how we may eſcape his Wrath, and how we may ſecure to our ſelves eternal Happineſs. Theſe are important Thoughts, and they ought to be our great and only Care, that ſo we may approve our ſelves to God, and be at the laſt Day found of him in well-doing. Before the Heart is ballaſted with this Fear of God, it runs after every vagrant Thought that comes croſs us or fleets before us; as Children run after every Feather that the Wind drives. But now the Fear of God fixeth this fleetineſs, and brings the Heart to a holy conſiſtency and ſolidity in its Thoughts: It is this Fear that united the Heart, and therefore David prays, Pſal. 86.11. Ʋnite my Heart unto thee, that I may fear thy Name.

Secondly,The Fear of God is an excellent Preſervative againſt all Sin. The Fear of God is an excellent Preſervative againſt all Sin. Slaviſh Fear may keep wicked Men from p. 310committing groſs and flagitious Crimes; but this holy Fear over-awes the Heart from ſecret and hidden Sins, yea, from the Sins of the Heart, that none can ſee but only God, and a Man's own Conſcience; and therefore it is ſaid, Pſal. Pſal. 19.9.Ps 19:919.9. The fear of the Lord is clean; that is, it keeps the Soul clean from the defilement of Sin. Now there are Defilements of two ſorts; Defilements of the Fleſh, when Men wallow in groſs and ſenſual Sins; and Defilements alſo of the Spirit, and ſuch are they that reſide in the Heart, and break not forth into outward Act: Now from both theſe the Fear of God cleanſeth us. So in 2 Cor. 2 Cor. 7.1.2 Cor 7:17.1. Let us cleanſe our ſelves, ſays the Apoſtle, from all Filthineſs both of Fleſh and Spirit, perfecting Holineſs in the fear of God. And indeed whereever the Fear of God is implanted, it will over-awe us, as well from offending God in our Thoughts as in our Actions, and make us that we ſhall be as afraid of Sinning againſt him by Unbelief and Impenitency, as well as by Murder and Blaſphemy.

p. 311Thirdly, This holy Fear of God is a 3moſt ſovereign Preſervative againſt Hypocriſie. The Fear of God is a moſt ſovereign Preſervative againſt Hypocriſie.What is Hypocriſie, but only a mocking of God to his Face? It is a deſign to put a ſolemn Cheat upon God. Certainly where the Fear of God over-awes the Heart, we ſhall not dare to abuſe his holy and reverend Name as Hypocrites do, in their making mention of him. When we ſpeak of him with our Lips, but never think of him with our Hearts, this is to abuſe the holy and reverend Name of God; and it is a ſure Argument that they ſtand in no dread of God, whoſe Hearts meditate Vanity with Eyes and Hands lifted up to Heaven. Will any dare in the preſence of a Prince, while they pretend Reverence to him, to uſe antick Geſtures? Would not this juſtly be interpreted a Contempt of him? Why all the religious Geſtures of Hypocrites are but Antick; and while they move their Lips in Prayer, without the correſponding motion of the Heart, they do but make Mouths at God; and how can they fear him, that are thus audacious to ſcoff at him? Yea, the Scripture ſets it down as a remarkable p. 312Matter, when Hypocrites begin to fear God;Iſa. 33.12.14.Isa 33:12Isa 33:14 Iſa. 33.12, 14. Hear ye and acknowledge my Might, ſays God: Why what's the matter? The Sinners in Sion are afraid, fearfulneſs hath ſurprized the Hypocrites. It is much eaſier to terrifie and daunt profligate Sinners than groſs Hypocrites; becauſe Hypocrites, by often dallying with God, wear off all Senſe and Dread of God, and arrive at length to a plain contempt and ſcorn of him. If therefore you would in every Duty approve your Hearts in Sincerity unto God, nouriſh in you this holy Fear of his Majeſty. This Fear is that which makes a Chriſtian ſingle-hearted; and, as the Apoſtle commands Servants, Col. 3.22.Col 3:22Col. 3.22. to obey their Maſters not as Men-pleaſers, but in ſingleneſs of Heart, fearing God. So where this holy Fear of God poſſeſſeth the Soul, it will cauſe all our Obedience to be performed in the ſingleneſs and integrity of our Hearts, not ſo much to be ſeen of Men as to be accepted of God. It is a remarkable place, that in Joſh. 24.14. Now therefore fear the Lord, and ſerve him in Sincerity. The Fear of God is of a mighty influence to Sincerity in all our Services and Performances that we p. 313render unto God; it is that that will make the Heart ſincere in them. Fear the Lord, and ſerve him in Sincerity.

Fourthly, This holy Fear will put us upon all Endeavors to pleaſe God, 4. The Fear of God will put us upon all Endeavors to pleaſe God.and to gain favour with him. This is the moſt natural effect of Fear, to engage us to procure their Love whoſe Power we dread. The Devil knew no ſuch way to get himſelf Worſhip and Adoration, as by terrifying the old Heathens; and ſtill he uſeth the ſame Artifice in thoſe parts of the World where his Kingdom yet remains, he appears in dreadful Shapes, and terrifies them on purpoſe that he may extort from them a blind, ſuperſtitious Worſhip. So where the Soul is affected with a holy Fear of God, it will engage it to pleaſe him, and to avoid whatever may kindle his Anger. And therefore ſays the Apoſtle,2 Cor. 5.9, 10.2 Cor 5:92 Cor 5:10 2 Cor. 5.9, 10. We labour that we may be accepted of him; and why ſo? Yes, ſays he, for we muſt be judged by him. The Fear of being judged by God at the Tribunal of Chriſt at the laſt Day, engaged the Apoſtle to labour to pleaſe God and to be accepted by him.

p. 3145. The Fear of God is an excellent Corrective of the baſe and degenerous Fear of Men.Fifthly, The Fear of God is an excellent Corrective of the baſe and degenerous Fear of Men. Our Saviour ſays, Luke 12.4. Be not afraid of them that can kill the Body, and after that have no more that they can do; but fear him, who after he hath killed, hath power to caſt into Hell; yea, I ſay unto you, fear him. It is well obſerved by a learned Author, that Men may be conſidered either as they bear upon them ſome reſemblance and impreſs of the divine Majeſty, as they are inveſted with Authority and Power, and conſtituted Magiſtrates and Rulers over us: This reſemblance is ſo great that the Scripture ſtiles them Gods, I have ſaid ye are Gods; and ſo we are to fear them with a Fear of Reverence and Obedience, and to obey them in that which is lawful. And they may be conſidered alſo as ſtanding in oppoſition to God, abuſing their Power by commanding things that are unlawful, and by Perſecution endeavouring to terrifie Men from the Ways and Service of God: And ſo they may be feared with a Fear of flight and eſchewal. When ye are perſecuted in one City, flee you to another, Matth. 10.23. We may ſo p. 315fear them as to labour to avoid their Rage, and to conſult our own Safety. But the Fear that is here forbidden is, Fear not them that can kill the Body; that is, with a diſtruſtful, perverting Fear, ſuch a Fear as cauſeth Men for the ſecuring of their temporal Life to deſert the Profeſſion and Practice of Godlineſs; with ſuch a Fear, Fear not Men. He will not, that truly fears God, thus fear Men; no, the Fear of God lays a check upon this ſinful Fear of Men, he that truly fears God will not immoderately fear Men; for it is the property of holy Fear to repreſent the diſpleaſure of God, as an infinitely greater Evil than the loſs of Eſtate, Liberty, nay, of Life it ſelf, or whatever the Rage and Power of Man can either inflict or threaten, and this makes them chooſe Affliction rather than Sin. See this fearleſs Spirit in thoſe three Heroick Champions,Dan. 3.16.Dan 3:16 Dan. 3.16. who though they ſaw a burning, fiery Furnace before them, into which they were threatned to be caſt, yet all the Terrors of it did not fright them to an Idolatrous Worſhip; with what a holy Contempt and Slighting did they anſwer King Nebuchadnezar? We are not careful, ſay they, p. 316to anſwer thee in this matter. And whence proceeded this undaunted Courage, but only becauſe they were more afraid of God, who is a conſuming Fire, than they were of a fiery Furnace? A Man that truly fears God, reputes with himſelf, that to gain the favour of Men with the diſpleaſure of God, to redeem a temporal Life by an eternal Death, is the fooliſheſt Bargain that can be made; he knows the rage of Man is under the reſtraint of God, and that a Hair of his Head ſhall not fall to the Ground without his heavenly Father's Knowledge and Permiſſion; and if God doth ſuffer wicked Men to inflict the utmoſt that their Rage and Spight can prompt them unto, yet it reacheth only their earthly part, the dull part of Man, the Body; they may perſecute, torment and kill us, but yet they cannot hurt us; one momentany Gripe of Hells Torments is infinitely more intolerable, than all the Cruelties that Men can poſſibly invent or inflict; one Frown from an angry God hath more Dread and Terror in it, than all the Rage and Threatnings of the moſt barbarous and cruel Tyrants; and that Chriſtian that makes p. 317ſuch an account as this is, can never certainly ſo fear Torment or Death, as to be drawn to Sin againſt God, whoſe Diſpleaſure he more fears than he fears either Torment or Death.

Now to ſhut up this whole Subject,What there is in God that may affect us with an Awe and Fear of him. I ſhall only briefly mention a few Particulars to you, whereby you may take a brief View of what there is in the Nature of God, that may juſtly affect us with a holy Fear and Awe of him.

Firſt,1. His glorious Majeſty. The Conſideration of God's glorious Majeſty may ſtrike us into a holy Dread and Terror. And therefore ſays Job 33.22. With God is terrible Majeſty. Job 33.22.Job 33:22This is that which daunts the holy Angels in Heaven, they cover their Faces with their Wings, as not being able to bear the piercing Rays of that Glory wherewith he is cloathed. An earthly Prince, when he is ſet forth in the Royalty and Grandeur of his State, caſts an awe upon thoſe that approach near him. And how much more ought we to fear the great and glorious Majeſty of Heaven, who is always clad with Light as with a Garment; that Light p. 318which no mortal Eye can approach, being always ſurrounded with an innumerable Hoſt of glittering Attendance, each of which maintains more Pomp and State than the greateſt Potentate on Earth.

2. His Almighty Power.Secondly, God's Almighty Power ſhould cauſe us to fear before him. He is the uncontroulable Sovereign of all the World, to whoſe Beck all things in Heaven and in Earth, yea, and in Hell too are ſubject; and therefore ſays Job 25.2.Job 25.2.Job 25:2 Dominion and Fear are with him; not that God hath any Fear, or ſtands in Fear, but the Dominion and Sovereignity of God cauſeth Fear; it ſtrikes the Heart with an awful Fear, when we conſider that Dominion and Fear are with God. That Power and Authority of God, by which he exerciſeth his Dominion, cauſeth a Fear of him.

3. His ſevere Juſtice.Thirdly, The ſevere and impartial Juſtice of God, whereby he renders to every one according to his Works; this ſhould kindle in us a holy Fear of God. So the Apoſtle,2 Cor. 5.10, 11.2 Cor 5:102 Cor 5:11 2 Cor. 5.10, 11. We muſt receive, ſays he, according to what we have p. 319done in the Body. Whence he infers, That knowing the Terrors of the Lord, we perſuade Men. It is terrible to receive from God's Juſtice, according to what we have done in the Body.

Fourthly,4. His Omniſciency and Omnipreſence. The Conſideration of God's Omnipreſence and Omniſciency, may cauſe in us a holy Fear of him. His Eye is always upon us, his Preſence is always with us where-ever we are, and he ſees and obſerves what-ever we do, and therefore let us fear him, his Eye is awful.

Fifthly,5. Our abſolute dependance upon him. The conſideration of our abſolute dependance upon God, ſhould cauſe us to ſtand in Fear of him; left by provoking him who maintains our Souls in Life, in whom we live and move, and have our beings, in whoſe Hands are our Breath, our Life and all our Ways; he ſhould turn his Hand upon us, and deprive us of all thoſe Mercies and Comforts that now he heaps upon us. So much for this Time and Text.

A DISCOURSE OF THE NATURE, Corruption and Renewing, OF THE CONSCIENCE. WITH Accounts of the Moment of having a Conſcience void of Offence to God and Men. FROM ACTS xxiv. 16.

By EZEKIEL HOPKINS, Late Lord Biſhop of London-derry.

LONDON: Printed for Jonathan Robinſon, A. and J. Churchill, John Taylor and John Wyat. 1696.