Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 18
SERMON XVIII.
Pſalm 130. Verſe 4. But there is forgivenneſs with thee that thou mayest be feared.
IN the morning I was detained upon that evidence of a pardoned man, which is of very common uſe in our walk, that we have a tender-hearted diſpoſition, and be in a readineſs to forgive others. Now there remains before I leave this point, another evidence or conſequence of pardon, when it is rightly cloſed with, held out in that, which ye may remember I made a third branch of this Text, being an amplification of pardoning mercy, taken from Gods deſign in letting it out, even that he may be feared; I ſhall not here ſtand on a general, how needful it is to look to Gods deſign, and what he drives at by every thing he doth unto us, and about us, as the Pſalmiſt takes notice of Gods end in pardoning. Though it were needful that we ſhould look to it, that we abuſe no diſpenſation of God, to ſerve our own ends, neglecting his ends. The reaſon why we ſpeed not in many ſuits, is, we ask and receive not, becauſe we ask amiſs, that we may conſume it upon our lusts, Jam. 4.3. But paſſing that, I come to the word in the Text.
The word here, fear of God, it is one of theſe internal graces that naturally reſults upon the acknowledgment of a Deity, and conſequently belongs to the firſt Command, where knowledge and acknowledgment of God, faith and hope in God, love to him, and fear of him, and patience under his diſpenſations, are all commanded under that of having no other gods; but frequently the fear of God is taken more largely, for all the ſervice, and fear, and worſhip of God, and that becauſe fear and reverence is a neceſſary ingredient called for in every part of ſervice and worſhip we perform, here we need not reſtrict the ſenſe of the Word, and ſo the meaning is, pardoning Mercy is in God, and let forth by God to the penitent, that the pardoned ſinner may ſtand in awe to offend God, and may be invited to worſhip and ſerve God, who invites him to it by a free pardon of iniquity, under which he could not ſtand, if God ſhould mark it in ſtrict Juſtice. And hence in that ſum of Chriſtianity, Philip. 3.3. If a man from having no confidence in the fleſh come to rejoyce in Jeſus Chriſt, the reſult of that is to worſhip God in the Spirit; hence Job 37.23, 24. When God is taken up as one excellent in Power, Judgment, and plenty of Juſtice, that will not afflict, it hath this conſequence reſulting upon it, men do therefore fear him; and 1 Kin. 8.38. — when his people pray to him, he by his hearing of Prayer, forgiving of ſin, doing and giving to every man according to his ways, doth hereby invite them to fear him, all the days that they live in the Land which he gave to their Fathers, and Hoſ. 3.5. It is ſaid of converted Iſrael, That they ſhall fear the Lord, and his goodneſs, in the latter dayes.
Now that I may ſpeak ſomewhat of this for your edification, I ſhall take a word or two from this purpoſe abſtractly conſidered, and then conſider it with an eye to the ſcope.
1. Then conſidering the words abſtractly, we may mark, that fear and reverence is due to God, that God is a ſuitable Object of humble and reverential fear in the Creature; the fear of God is a thing frequently ſpoken of, and preſt in Scripture, as moſt due to him. Rev. 15.4. Who ſhall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name, Pſal. 76.7, 11. Thou, even thou art to be feared; bring preſents to him that ought to be feared, Iſai. 8.13. Sanctifie the Lord of hoſts himſelf, let him be your fear and your dread: He…e (not to inſiſt upon the Derivations that ſome give of the Greek and Latine Names of God, from the Greek word foreign, ſignifying Fear) the Scripture ſometimes Names God by this, That he is the fear of his people. Gen. 31.53. when Laban ſware by the God of Abraham, and the God of Nabor, Jacob ſware by the fear of his father Iſaac, that is, by the God that was the Object of Iſaac's fear: and that word is very emphatick, which ye have, Pſal. 76.11. in your Tranſlation it is, bring preſents to him that ought to be feared; but in the Original (and as it is rendred in the margin of your Bibles) it is▪ bring preſents to the fear, that is, to God, the Object of the reverential fear of his people; It may be ſaid that the Object of fear being things evil, God who is the Chief Good, ſeems not to be the proper Object of fear; but that is eaſily cleared, affection to God, as to the chief Good, cannot be without holy ſolicitude, and reverential fear, leſt either our ſin deprive us of him, and of his favour, or he be provocked to ſend evil on us, upon the account of our provocations.
Now for the kinds of this fear of God, I ſhall not inſiſt upon them. There is a fear of God as a plague and puniſhment, and that's the fear of Devils, James 2.9. Thou believeſt there is one God, thou doſt well, the devils alſo believe and tremble. There is a ſervile and ſlaviſh fear, which however it may be in a Child of God, eſpecially at his firſt Converſion, while under the ſpirit of bondage, yet it is much of the nature of that fear, that is of God as a puniſhment of ſin; that tormenting fear the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, 1 Joh. 4.18. That perfect love caſts out; that fear that is not afraid of offending God, but of puniſhments only, is that which is in Devils; and that fear that apprehends puniſhments, not as they are ſeparat from God the chief Good, but as painful and grievous to a mans ſelf, is ſlaviſh and ſervile; but right fear is, when apprehenſions of the Majeſty, Greatneſs, and Goodneſs of God, fills the heart with holy awe and reverence towards him, and the Faith of his Greatneſs, ſeaſoned with the Faith of his Condeſcendency, makes the ſoul afraid to offend him, or loſe his favour on any terms.
All that I ſhall ſay from this, ſhall be to exhort and perſwade you to get ſome ſtamp of this reverential fear on your heart that ye be not of them, of whom it is ſaid, Pſal. 36.1. (O dreadful Character) The tranſgreſſion of the wicked, ſays within my heart, there is no fear of God before his eyes; conſider and think upon this, the fear of God is the only Antidote, the only preſervative againſt an evil courſe, the fear of God will make a man, that when it is in the power of his hands to do evil, he dare not do it, Gen. 42.18. Joſeph when his brethren in ward, are afraid of him, ſays to them, This do and live▪ for I fear God; I might ſoon cut you off, and who would challenge me for ſo doing? but I fear God, N…hem 5.15. He would not be burdenſom to the people, as the former Governours had been, they were chargeable to the people, but ſo did not I, ſays he, becauſe of the fear of God; among Heathens, there may be many Motives to keep men from this and that ill, but all will be like Samſons cords, if the fear of God be wanting; ponder Gen. 20.11. when Abimelech ſays to Abraham, What ſaweſt thou that thou haſt done this thing? Abr…ham anſwers, becauſe I thought, ſurely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will ſlay me for my wifes ſake; There is no protection for me here, for I ſee no fear of God among this people; what will men not be, if a ſuitable Temptation come in their way, if they want the fear of God? and how calm will the fear of God make men that have it? It will make a Lion a Lamb, a Boar a Calf; O how tractable will it make the wild humours of men, to have a ſtamp of the fear of God? and therefore I ſay it again, ſeek for it, that it may not be ſaid of you, ſuch a mans, or ſuch a womans walk, ſays within my heart, There is no fear of God before their eyes.
A 2. Word from the words abſtractly conſidered, is, That as fear is due to God, ſo this fear is eminently to be expreſt in the ſervice and worſhip of God; For that thou mayeſt be feared is not to be underſtood, as that folk ſhould make a Bog…e of God; but that their fear of him ſhould bring them to worſhip and ſerve him, and that their worſhip and ſervice ſhould be ſeaſoned with an holy awe and dread of God. I might touch here on ſeveral things, on the one hand, among other Characters of baſe and ſervile fear, this is one, when it drives from God, and his worſhip and ſervice, which was the reſult of Adam's fear after his fall. Gen. 3.8. When he heard God's voice in the garden he was afraid and hid himſelf. This was the Sinai fear at the giving of the Law, Exod. 20.18. When the people ſaw the thundring and lightning, and heard the noiſe of the Trumpet, they removed and ſtood a-far off; they went further away from God; that is never right fear that makes a Scar-crow of God; that is only right fear that chaſes in to him: But on the other hand, how ſhould ſervice and worſhip to God be loaded and ballanced with fear of God? when Jacob had ſome intercourſe with God in a viſion, Gen. 28.17. He was afraid, and ſaid, how dreadful is this place! this is none other but the Houſe of God, and this is the gate of Heaven. If we ſpeak of the ſervice of God in general, and would ſerve him acceptably, it muſt be with reverential and godly fear, Heb. 12.28. Not with preſumption: yea, the greateſt on Earth as they are commanded to kiſs the Son leſt he be angry, and they periſh from the way; ſo they are bidden, ſerve the Lord with fear▪ and rejoyce with trembling, Pſ. 2.11. and that King, Dan. 6.26. could ſee that much, though he came not a full length, when he made a decree, That in every dominion of his kingdom, men ſhould tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; and for fear in duties of immediat worſhip (ſuch as ye are now about) how is it preſſed, Pſal. 89.7. God is greatly to be feared in the aſſembly of his Saints, and to be had in reverence of all that are about him; and Pſal. 5.7. we will find thoſe to be the two ſtilts, (ſo to ſpeak) that David walked on going to the publick Ordinances; As for me, I will go into thy houſe in the multitude of thy mercy, and in thy fear will I worſhip toward thy holy temple; The faith of Gods Mercy ballanced with Fear, that it turn not in preſumption; and fear again under proped with Mercy, that it degenerat not into deſpondency; and there are many Conſiderations to preſs the ſeaſoning and ballaſting of the ſervice and worſhip of God with fear, whether partly we conſider the Majeſty of God, compared with our baſeneſs; There are few folk that converſe with God at Abraham's rate, Gen. 18.27. Behold now, ſays he, I have taken upon me to ſpeak to the Lord, who am but duſt and aſhes; and Solomon's rule, Eccleſ. 5.1. — is, keep thy foot when thou goes into the houſe of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the ſacrifice of fools; be not raſh with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God, for God is in Heaven▪ and thou upon Earth, therefore let thy words be few; When there is a ladder betwixt Heaven and Earth ſuch as Jacob had, how dreadful a place ſhould ſuch a Sanctuary be? Or whether partly we conſider the Holineſs and Purity of God, compared with our Impurity, This made Iſaiah, Iſai. 6.5. to ſay, Wo is me, I am undone, becauſe I am a man of unclean lips, and dwell among a people of polluted lips, for mine eyes have ſeen the King, the Lord of hoſts. And further, the Conſideration of the Holineſs and Jealouſie of God, that he will not be affronted in the matter of his ſervice and worſhip, it calls for Fear and reverence; it is a ſtrong Argument uſed by the Apoſtle, to preſs us to ſerve God with Reverence and with Godly Fear, Heb. 12.29. For our God, ſays he, is a conſuming fire; and that which Moſes ſaid to Aaron, when his two Sons were ſlain, burnt up with fire, which went out from the Lord, for offering ſtrange fire before him. This is the thing which the Lord ſpake, ſaying, I will be ſanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified; I will either be honoured by them, or I will be honoured upon them that draw near me, and take my Name in vain. Well then, have ye any thing of this Fear of God? will ye kythe it by your ſerving him, Mal. 1.6. A ſon honoureth his father, and a ſervant his maſter, if he be a Father, where is his honour, and if a Maſter, where is his fear? ſtand ye in awe of God that do misken him all your time? do ye fear him, that never take a ſpare hour to pay homage to him? that will not bow a knee to him: But I ſhall add, the ſervice that ye pay to God, I pray you look how it is ballaſt with fear, that it turn not in preſumption; and if ye have need of an intimation of Mercy to correct your fear, that it degener not in deſpondency: Ye come to God's Houſe to Worſhip him, but how few of you when ye come here, have ſaid, How dreadful is this place; would ye have your Character? take it from Jude verſe 12. Theſe are ſpots in your feaſts of charity, when they feaſt with you, feeding themſelves without fear; ye come before God, ye join in the publick Exerciſes of Gods Worſhip, but without any impreſſion of the fear of God, more than if all we did while we are together, had no relation to him; O be aſhamed that the fear and awe of God doth ſo little ballaſt and ſeaſon your ſervice and worſhip.
But in the 2. place, we come to take a look of this purpoſe, with an eye to the Scope, There is forgiveneſs with thee that thou mayeſt be feared, ſays the Pſalmiſt; then, the fear of God, more tender walking, being more frequent and ſerious in duty to God, more reverence of his ſervice, it is the kindly product of a heart that hath on right terms cloſed with Chriſt in pardoning mercy, a fear to offend God, a reverential fear in his Worſhip and ſervice. And hence, I ſhall lay theſe few particulars before you and cloſe
1. Which is the main thing in the Scope, come and try by this, if ye have been cloſing a-right with pardoning mercy, ſee what is the conſequence of it, and, that will tell you. Are ye cloſing with pardoning Mercy, to make duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page your boaſt of it, that ye may ſin on, and ſleep more ſecurely? That is all the Dream that ſome have in their head of God's goodneſs, and mercy in pardoning ſin, to take in a new Swack, but thou that does ſo, turns the Grace of God unto laſciviouſneſs, and offers a contempt to pardoning Mercy, which the Gracious God will not brook. But, O! here is the bleſſed Fruit of pardoning Mercy, to be more tender in thy walk, more afraid of ſin, more diligent in Duty, the further God is pleaſed to put thee in his boſom, the greater diſtance thou keeps with what may provock him, the more freely he forgive thee, the more thou delights to be active in his ſervice; find many Scriptures that gives an account of the overcoming goodneſs of God towards ingenuous Souls, not only that, Pſal. 85.8. He will ſpeak peace to his people, and to his ſaints, but let them no… …urn again to folly; but that of Hoſ. 3.5. The goodneſs of God the Object of their Faith makes them fear him and his goodneſs; and that of David, 2 Sam. 7.27. Who when he gets a promiſe of building him a Houſe, the kindneſs of God ſets him on fire as it were, and puts wings to his Prayer. Thou, O Lord of hoſts, God of Iſrael, haſt revealed to thy ſervant, ſaying, I will build thee an houſe, therefore hath thy ſervant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee; and Hezekiah, Iſai. 38 15. When the Lord had ſpoken of his delivery, he will not wax wanton, but he will walk ſoftly all the fifteen years added unto his dayes in the bitterneſs of his ſoul: and when the Lord falls in upon Ephraim with ſweet converting Grace, and turns him, Jer. 31.19. after he is turned he repents, after he is inſtructed, he ſmites on his thigh, he is aſhamed, yea, even confounded, becauſe he hath born the reproach of his youth; ſee to it ye that grip to pardoning Mercy, and lay claim to it, I am ſo far from envying you, that I ſay, the Lord ſay ſo too. But, O! let it be ſeen in your tenderneſs, in your reverential fear and awe of God, in the conſtraining power that the love of Chriſt hath on you, if ye believe that he died for you, will not his love conſtrain you to l…ve to him? 2 Cor. 5.14. And ye that are tender, will ye not be afraid that that kindneſs of God ye lay claim to, is either a lie in your right hand, that produces not ſomewhat like this, or that ye are in a plagued condition, that the goodneſs and kindneſs of God works not upon you.
2. If pardoning Mercy be let out, that God may be feared, it puts me in capacity to anſwer the Cavillations of the profane, they live in the contempt of holineſs, they have a prejudice at it, they ſee no form nor beauty in it, wherefore they ſhould deſire it; What ſhall they get if they turn fearers of God? They ſee no advantage by it, but loſs: But ſhall I ſay to thee, if thou looked rightly on it, thou would be aſhamed to owne any ſuch Cavillation, Piety has no enemy but an ignorant, there is none that ever knew Piety that would give it the Character thou gives it; if pardoning Mercy work up a love to holineſs in men, and make them to fear him; thou that has a prejudice at holineſs, evidences that thou art not a partaker of it, and why would thou tell all the World, that thou knows not what this pardoning Mercy means; thy contempt of holineſs proclaims, that all thy iniquities are bound upon thy back: If ever thou had layen at Gods Foot ſtool, and been lift up with pardoning Mercy, ſaying to thee, Son or daughter be of good chear, thy ſins are forgiven thee, it would put an edge upon thee, to purſue after holineſs; and therefore let me intreat you who are profane, and entertain a prejudice at holineſs, not to publiſh your own ſhame, and by your contempt of the fear of God, and his ſervice, to declare ye are yet without the pardoning Mercy of God.
But from this ye ſhall take a 3. word, If cloſing with pardoning mercy ſets hearts on work to fear God, and to tenderneſs in the ſtudy of holineſs, then ye may ſee how many of the Children of God do cut the throat of all their endeavours after holineſs, and to walk tenderly through their not cloſing with pardoning Mercy: I ſuppoſe ſome have the Conſcience, a ſad Monitor unto them, a ſad Wan-reſt within doors, for want of tenderneſs, and ſome would fain be at ſerving and worſhipping of God, and yet they cannot win at it, but look if thou leaves not thy encouragement behind thy hand, in not cloſing with pardoning Mercy, and by ſo doing, not only cuts thy ſelf ſhort of the Joy of the Lord, which is thy ſtrength, but provocks God to blaſt thy ſtudy of holineſs, that thou would put in his room, or in the room of his pardoning Mercy; But thou that would be keeped freſh and green in thy purſuit of holineſs, here is thy method that thou muſt follow; firſt, wrap thy ſelf in the boſom of pardoning Mercy and then try thy work and thou ſhalt find it more delightſome and go better with thee, than when thou leaves this encouragement behind thee, lay thy ſelf in his boſom for pardon, and O! but that will make thee fear him much, and love him much; that woman, Luke 7▪ that bad much forgiven her, loved much, and had abundance of tears to waſh Chriſt's feet; her cloſing with pardon did ſo melt her heart, and ſo would it thine; cloſing with pardoning Mercy would heal palſie hands and feet, and make thee work, walk and run, it would kindle that love that is ſtrong as death, and that jealouſie that is cruel as the grave, the coals whereof are coals of fire, that have a vehement flame, and bring it to that, that many waters cannot quench, or the floods drown, or contemn all that would compet with it. I dare not offer to inſiſt the day being ſhortened; but as on the one hand they who fall aſleep on pardoning Mercy (as the bride of Chriſt may ſome times take a nap, but wakens and ſets to her feet again) would know they make not a right uſe of pardoning Mercy, but ſin grievouſly, and if they ſleep on, they evidence that they cheat themſelves in that matter; and theſe that love not holineſs proclaim they were never partakers of it; ſo upon the other hand, thou that loves holineſs, but cannot win at it, cloſe better with pardoning Mercy, as that which will ſtrenthen and encourage thee; and by waiting on the Lord in this way, thou ſhalt renew thy ſtrength, mount up with wings as eagles, run and not be weary, walk and not be faint. Now to our God be praiſe and glory through Jeſus Chriſt.