Gospel Fear, Sermon 1
SERMON I. Novemb. 19. 1643.
Isai. 66.2.
—And that trembleth at my Word.
THe scope of the Holy-Ghost, in the beginning of this Chapter, is to take off the hearts of this People from resting in the glorious Temple that they had, and in the outward duties of Worship that they performed. — The first he doth by these two Arguments, in the beginning of the Chapter; Thus saith the Lord, The Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is my Foot-stool. What great matter is it then that I have such a glorious Temple built for my Honour; I have no need of it, for I have the Heaven for my Throne, and the whole Earth for my Foot-stool: Where is the House then that ye build unto me? and where the place of my Rest?—
2ly; He hath not onelyonly his Throne in Heaven, and the Earth for h… Foot-stool, But all these things have his …ands made; I have made the whole World. You have built the Temple, and you think it a great matter; why, I have made all the World, and could have made a thousand Worlds if I would.
And for outward performances, He would take off their hearts from resting in them; He tells them therefore that while they rest in outward Duties and yet live wickedly, it is no more unto Him than the slaying of a Man: He hath Four expressions to shew how He doth abominate all outward Services, where there is a wicked Life. First, He that killeth an Ox, as if he slew a Man. Secondly, He that sacrificeth a Lamb, as if he cut off a Dogs neck. Thirdly, He that offereth an Oblation, as if he offered Swines Blood. Fourthly, He that burneth Incense, as if he blessed an Idol. These are four strong expressions; and I know not any place in all the Book of God, wherein we have God so fully, in a few words, exp…ess h…s hatred of the Services of wicked men while they live in their Sin. Yea he gives the Reason, They have chosen their own way. And while they do so, let them do what they will, they are all abominable in the Eye of God, God will have no regard in respect of their Temple, nor all their Sacrifices. —What is it then will please Him? — He tells you in this Second Verse, But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite Spirit, and trembleth at my word. As if God should say, As for this glorious Temple, and all your Sacrifices, What are all these, so long as you choose your own waies? But is there any poor Soul, any contrite Heart, that is sensible of his own sinfulness? is there any broken-hearted Sinner among you, that trembleth at my Word? this is more than all your Sacrifices that can be offered to me. Here we have three Qualifications of one that God will look at and have regard unto: Will you know what I respect, Him that is poor, of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my Word: here is one that I look unto, that I delight to dwell with, and that I take pleasure in. First, in a poor Spirit, then in a contrite, and in him that trembles at God's Word. It is the third that I intend to pitch upon, The trembling at God's Word. Men of the world they live bravely, and have jolly spirits, Mal. 3.15. And now we call the proud happy: Your brave, jolly, gallant, proud Spirits, they are the only men in the eyes of the world: But if you would know who is precious in God's eyes, It is the poor, contrite Spirit, that trembles at the Word, such as men do despise; As who are more despised among men than those that are of poor and contrite Spirits, whose hearts shake and tremble at God's Word: The brave and jolly Spirits in the world, they scorn to be troubled at the Word: But, saith God, Is there any one that trembles at my Word? where he sees such great Congregations as these are, he looks through all, to see if he can find any poor Soul that trembles at the Word; here's an object that God hath special regard unto. Now God grant many such objects in this Congregation, and at this day, for God doth look among you; O that He might have objects to look upon, that may be delightful in his eyes! And such are those that shall tremble at his Word: So then, the point of Doctrine that we are to pitch upon, is this;
Doctr. That a heart trembling at God's Word, is very precious in God's Eyes.
To him will I look; It's translated by some, To that thing will I look: O that's the thing that I love indeed to look upon, a trembling frame of heart at my Word: All the beautiful objects in the World are not so lovely in the Eye of God, as a heart that trembles at the Word; the Lord accounts nothing in all the world worthy the looking at in comparison of this object: But a… this the Lord looks with abundance of delight. He doth not say here, To him will I look that doth my Word, that obeys my Word, but that trembles at my Word. Saith one upon the place, There's more Godliness many times in the trembling of the Heart, than in the work of the Hand: For there may be many things that may hinder a true, gracious Heart from doing God's Word. Perhaps the Heart doth entertain the Word in uprightness, and would fain do it; but there may many things come in between the Heart and the Action, that will hinder one that hath a sincere heart from doing it. But so long as there is a trembling frame of heart at the Word, this is that that God looks at.
Physicians say, The trembling of the Heart is a Disease: but this trembling of Heart is the excellency of the Heart, and the happiness of the Soul where it is. 2 King. 22.19. Josiah was a King, and he did but hear the Word of God read, and presently his Heart falls a trembling, his heart did melt before the Lord. O what a happiness were this for Kingdoms to have their Kings to have such tender hearts! if God would please to give the Great Ones of the World such tender hearts, that upon the Reading or Hearing any thing out of the Word of God, their hearts would fall and tremble in the presence of God, it would be a great Mercy: It doth beseem the greatest in the world to tremble at the Word of God, whenever they hear it.
In the opening of this Point, there are these Four things to be done.
The First is, To shew you briefly how the Heart is affected when it trembles at God's Word, what it is to have the Heart to tremble at God's Word.
Secondly, What it is that a Gracious Heart doth see in God's Word, that doth make it to tremble.
Thirdly, The difference between the trembling of a gracious Heart, and the trembling that there may possibly be in one that is but an Hypocrite; For we find that Felix himself did tremble, and the Scripture doth tell us, that the Devils do tremble.
4. The Reason why God doth so accept of such a Heart, why it is so acceptable unto God, that He doth so look unto. These are the four things wherein the point is to be presented, and these will make full way unto the Application. The Point is a great Point.
For the First; The working of the Heart that trembles at God's Word, or to set out unto you the frame of Heart trembling at the Word of God. (I'le pass briefly over that, because the second I'le dwell most upon:) If you would have it set out unto you what the manner of frame of Heart is in trembling at the Word.
First, Such a Heart hath high, and honourable, and reverent Thoughts of God's Word, howsoever before it was lightly esteemed; the word of God was no other than other words are, was but as wind that past away: But now the Soul comes to have very high, and honourable, and reverent Thoughts of the Word of God, reverent apprehensions of it, looks upon it with other manner of solemn thoughts than ever before it had: O now I see it to be indeed my very Life.
And Secondly, Upon this the Soul doth with all reverence attend, when it is either Read or Preached, howsoever delivered, attends upon, and sets his heart unto it; As Moses said unto the People in Deut. 32.46. And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day, which ye shall command your Children to observe to do, all the words of this Law; why, For it is not a vain thing for you, because it is your life: Before such an one come to hear the Word in an ordinary way, meerly to spend so much time, or to hear what a man could say; But now when God works this gracious frame in the Heart, now the Soul sets it self unto it, as unto its Life, not as a vain thing: I see my Life is in it, and there is reverent attention unto the Word of God. Fear doth fasten the eye. When one hath a fearful apprehension of a thing, it causes the eye to be fastened upon the thing: So when an Auditory comes to have many among it that tremble at God's Word, it fastens the Attention, and their Thoughts are bent unto it in a more solemn way, and they dare not give liberty to themselves, no, not to the wandering of their Thoughts, much less of their Eyes up and down, but they are watching to hear what God hath to say unto them.
Thirdly, When such an one hath heard the Word, it dares not cavil against it; It's true, you may examine the word that you hear preached, but not cavil against it. Before the Heart is brought to this Trembling frame, it will be ready to rise against the Word, and to entertain cavils, and vain Objections against the Word; But now when the Heart is brought to tremble at it, it dares not cavil and object as formerly.
Fourthly, The Heart that trembles at the Word, doth account it a most dreadful Condition to have the Word to make against it; O it looks upon that as the greatest evil that can befal it that the Word of God shall make against me, that when I come to hear it, I hear it speaking against me, and denouncing Threatnings against me: O this is a restless Condition, how can I eat, drink, or sleep quietly, when the Word of God makes against me.
Fifthly, A Heart that trembles at the Word, doth with all Reverence and Humility receive in every Command of the Word, and submits it self unto it, dares not resist any part of the Word, neither Commanding part, nor Threatning part, but opens it self for to receive it in. It was a Speech of one, saith he, O let the Word of the Lord come, and, saith he, we will submit if we had Six hundred Necks to lay under it. So a Heart that trembles at the Word dare not resist it, but opens it self to receive in whatsoever the Lord hath to give unto it.
Sixthly, Even the Promises that are in God's Word, it receives them with Trembling: that is, upon apprehension of the Infinite Distance that there is between God and it, and its own infinite unworthiness of the Mercy that is reached out in the Promise: The Heart though it takes hold of it, yet it takes hold of it with Reverence and Fear. Now then, such an Heart as doth in this manner tremble at the Word of God, this is the Heart that is so precious in God's Eye, and that God looks upon.
Ay, but that's the main thing, O what is it, That a gracious Heart doth see in God's Word to make it to tremble at? This being rightly understood, I hope this Sermon may help you to sanctifie the Name of God in many Sermons afterwards. This is that God doth require of you all, That when He sends his Word among you, that your Hearts should not swell against it; But that you should entertain it with a trembling frame of heart; and O the Honour that would come to God, and advantage to your own Souls, if you did entertain it with a trembling frame of Heart! I'le shew you what Reason a gracious heart hath thus to tremble at God's Word, what he sees in it; For he doth not do it out of weakness of Spirit, but the Lord doth discover that in his Word unto the Heart, if it cannot do otherwise: In Judg. 3.20. there Ehud comes to Eglon the King of Moab, (a Heathenish King) and he makes that his Preface, I have a Message from God unto thee; Mark now how he was taken with that, And he arose out of his Seat, in reverence unto the Word that was the Word of God: When he did but say, He had a Message from God unto him, he stood up presently. You should look upon all the Ministers of God, that reveal his Truths unto you, with great Reverence: God cannot but take it ill, to see every vile person that dares not behave himself irreverently to his Master, yet cares not what Irreverence he shews unto the Word of God. In Jer. 13.15. Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud, for the Lord hath spoken. If it be the Word of God, there must be no swelling of Heart against it; It is the greatest and vilest Pride of all, for Mens hearts to swell against the Word. Many of you think there is Pride in Cloaths and Apparel, but the greatest Pride is in swelling against the Word: Many of you think you have no Pride in your Hearts; But how have you behaved your selves against the Word of God that hath come against your nearest Corruptions.
First, It is the Word of God. He sees God in it.
Secondly, Not only sees that it is Gods, but sees abundance of the Glory, the Majesty, the Greatness, the Excellency of God that shines in his Word; the Lord discovers unto this Heart, that there is abundance of Divine Lustre and Glory that shines in the Word that he doth tremble at, and that makes it to tremble: Above all things in the world the Word of God hath the most of the Glory of God in it. Though its true, a Soul for a long time, while it is in darkness, sees nothing of this; But when God's good time is come to work graciously upon the Heart, God opens to this Heart, such a Divine Lustre shining in the Word that it never saw before, which makes the Heart now to stand in awe of it more than ever it did before. In Psal. 138.2. For thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name. Or, as some read it more fully according to the Original,Ainsworth. Thou hast magnified above all thy Name thy Word; that is, The Name of God is magnified above all things: O the Word of God hath more of God's Name in it, than all the World besides! Take Heaven and Earth, the whole Creation altogether, hath not so much of the Name of God, as the Word of God hath: There is more of God, there is a greater and Diviner Lustre in the Word of God, than there is in Heaven and Earth.
And therefore by the way, You may be convinc'd of a great deal of Ignorance and Darkness that hath been in you all this while, If we believe this truth, That in God's Word there is more Divine Lustre than there is in all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth, surely you have been in the dark. I appeal to your Consciences, Have you seen this Divine Lustre now, we know there is much of the Glory of God in all his Works, in the Heavens, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, we behold the Glory of God shining there, and in the Seas, those that go down into the Deeps, they behold the Wonders of the Lord, and in the Earth all Creatures cry unto us to fear the Lord, and to tremble before the Lord. It is an Argument of a stout, wretched, vile, hard heart that doth not tremble before the Lord, as He doth appear glorious in his great works; every creature cries out unto us, O will you not fear that God that hath made me! Every Creature doth call, though thou hast had a deaf ear hitherto, yet it calls, Will you not fear that God that hath made me? Yea, God Himself doth wonder, that Man doth not fear Him upon the consideration of the Glory that doth shine in some pieces of his work, as in Jer. 5.22. Fear ye not me, saith the Lord? will ye not tremble at my presence? God speaks in a way of admiration, what saith God, this a strange thing that Men should have such hard Hearts, What will you not fear me, which hath placed the Sand for the bound of the Sea, by a perpetual Decree that it cannot pass it, and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it. God doth but instance in this one work of his; O is there any bold desperate Sinner that will not fear such a God as I am, who doth such a great work as this: and then again in the 24. ver. The Lord instances in another work of his, God wonders that men should not say in their hearts, O let us fear God that giveth rain! we see that we do depend upon that God that giveth Rain, O therefore let us fear Him: Now God expects that all his Creatures that see this his glorious Work, that they should reason thus; O what a Glorious God is this, at whose Mercy we lie! O let us fear this God!
Well then: If God doth so wonder that men do not fear Him upon the sight of his Glory in these two works of his, then much more may God wonder that men do not fear Him in regard of all those Glorious Names of his that appear in his Word: Now a gracious Heart begins to see this that it did not see before, and therefore trembles at his Word.
Thirdly, It sees more; It sees not only a Divine Lustre, but a most dreadful Authority in the Word of God. Not only Greatness, and Luster, and Glory causeth Fear, but Authority; If we should see a Prince in his Greatness, in his Pomp, it causeth some Fear; But when we consider the Authority that He hath over us, this causeth Fear: And therefore in Jerem. 10.6, 7. Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord, thou art great, and thy Name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O King of Nations? For unto thee doth it appertain, &c. See how Fear is grounded upon Authority. O Lord, Thou hast the Absolute and Supream Authority over all Nations of the World, who would not fear thee. Certainly this is the Reason that the Hearts of Men are so vain and slight before the Word of God, because they do not apprehend the dreadful Authority there; that Authority that hath Potentates under it as well as the poorest that lives upon the face of the earth; that Authority that is over all Authority; that Authority that is over the Heart, over the Soul: Nothing in the world hath Authority over Mens Consciences but the Word of the Lord, and that hath Authority; it hath Authority to bind Consciences, to awe and terrifie men; So that a gracious Heart sees the great Seal of Heaven stampt upon every Truth in God's Word, and therefore dares not trifle with it as it did before: It comes to the Word either as to a Sovereign to receive Laws, or to a Judg to receive the Sentence of Condemnation: It looks upon the Word as backt with such Authority, that either I must yield unto it, or else it binds my Soul over to Eternal Death, by such Bonds, that all the power of all creatures in Heaven and Earth cannot loose again. When one Souldier doth but hear his Fellow-souldier rebuke him, he doth not much care; But if the General speaks, that hath his Life in his hand, then he trembles: So while People come to hear the Word as from a Minister, one that they look upon as equal with themselves, they do not much regard it: But a gracious Heart, whatsoever the Minister be, yet he looks upon the Word as above him. Cyprian calls it, The Tribunal of the Church, because from thence Men receive the Sentence of Death upon them. Now when the Soul comes to see this, it cannot but tremble at whatsoever Truths are revealed unto it. That's the Third Particular.
But then Fourthly, A Gracious Heart trembles at God's Word, because it sees an Infinite Justice in the Word of God, the Justice of God it is very dreadful in it self, that doth threaten an eternal Curse to every Soul that doth not obey it in every thing. In Deut. 33.2. It is called a Fiery Law, that's part of God's Law, the fiery Law of God; and we know how the Law was given, with what dreadfulness, as you may see in Exodus 19. the Mountain shaked and trembled when the Law of God was given: And God expects that the Hearts of Sinners should tremble, when they hear the Law of God at any time.
But you will say, We are delivered from it, and therefore why should we do so?
But though we be delivered, yet there is cause to tremble in regard that once we were under it, and we deserve to be under it. We read of Moses himself, he was a Godly man, he was one in Christ, yet you shall read in Heb. 12.21. The sight was so terrible, that Moses (the Servant of God) a Godly man, that had not so much Guilt in him as any of you have, and yet he saith, I exceedingly fear and quake: Especially if the Soul doth not understand throughly, that it is thorowly delivered from the guilt of Sin. For the Conscience will tell it, that the Word of God hath it at abundance of advantage: When Samuel came to Bethlehem, the Elders of the Town trembled at his coming, so in Ezra 16.2. It's said, The People sat trembling, because of the matter: They had much guilt in them, and knew that the Word had them at advantage, and therefore they trembled: It concernes all to tremble in some degree or other: And that's the Fourth Particular.
Fifthly, A gracious Heart sees the Word of the Lord backt with an Infinite Power, Eccles. 8.4. Where the word of a King is, there is Power: So where the Word of the Lord is, there is power to make it good. Mat. 28. latter end, saith Christ there, All power in Heaven and Earth is given unto me; What followes, Go therefore and Preach; What may we observe from the Connexion? As who should say, Know that all the Power in Heaven and Earth that is given to me, shall go along with you while you are Preaching my Word, to make good that Word of mine that you preach: So that whensoever you hear any Truth of God preached out of his Word, you must know that all Power in Heaven and Earth is sent forth to assist it and make it good; If it be a Threatning, to make it good that way; If it be a Promise, to make it good that way. In Isai. 55.11. the Lord saith there, That his Word should not be a vain thing, it should not return unto him void, but one way or other, it shall perform the work that I send it for: What God's end hath been in sending the Word to you, we may hope it hath been in Mercy; but this one thing it shall accomplish some special end that God hath had among you: In Ezek. 6.10. saith God, They shall know that I am the Lord, and that I had not said in vain, that I would do this evil unto them. God will have every Sinner to know that He is the Lord, and that He saith not in vain; As if God should say, If I be God, then my Word shall prevail, shall take hold upon them, all the Power that I have shall go along with my Word to make it good: Yea we know the Scripture tells us in Mat. 15. that Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but not one jot, or tittle of God's Word: By that we may see how God is set upon his Word; He will rather withdraw his Power from with-holding of Heaven and Earth, than withdraw his Power from assisting his Word: Is there but any one little Truth (as you esteem it) that hath come near to your Conscience, and you have had some thoughts; O if this be true, what shall become of me! Look to it, for Heaven and Earth shall pass away, rather than the Word shall not be made good; the Lord will rather lose all the world, than lose his Word.
Sixthly, It sees the Lustre of God's Holiness, and being conscious to it self of Impurity, that makes it to tremble: In Psal. 99.3. Let them praise thy great and terrible Name, for it is Holy: The Name of God is great and terrible, and great and terrible in this, It is Holy: So in Psal. 111. Holy and reverend is thy Name, God's Name is Reverend, because it is Holy. Now the Word of God it is no other than the very Glass of God's Infinite Holiness; and when the Lustre of that appears, O what fear will it strike into their hearts! We read in Isai. 6. that when the Prophet did but hear the Seraphims crying, Holy, Holy, Holy, the Text saith, that even the blessed Prophet himself cried out, Wo unto me, for I am undone: when the Glory of God's Holiness was but named, how did the heart of the Prophet shake and tremble. Now if a godly Man doth thus tremble, O how should the Hearts of those that are impure and corrupt tremble at the Word, when they come to see that it is the Glass of the Holiness of the Infinite God!
Seventhly, There is another thing which must not be forgotten, and that is; Those Glorious, High, and Divine Mysteries that are revealed in God's Word, that makes a gracious heart tremble. In the Word of God there are wonderful, high, glorious, amazing Mysteries that are revealed, Mysteries to be trembled at. It rather beseems poor Creatures to receive them with trembling, than to seek to search into them by enquiring: O the Mysteries of Salvation, they are such that are so infinitely above us, that they cannot but cause trembling in the hearts of those that come to understand the glory of them; There's the Mystery of Election, of Redemption, of the Hypostatical Union, of the Death of the Son of God, of Justification, Reconciliation, and Adoption, Sanctification, Glorification: they are Mysteries to be trembled at, in respect of the infinite depth, length, height and breadth of them.
Junius that was that famous Divine, whose Works we have as a great Blessing to the Church, he reports of himself, that before his Conversion he was an Atheist; But, saith he, upon a time, on a rainy day, I coming home to my House, and seeing a New-Testament lying before me, I took it up, and there I met with that First Chapter in John (which is a Chapter that is as full of Majesty as any) and, saith he, I took the Book and fell a reading, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, &c. And indeed if you read the Chapter, you shall find that Chapter goes on with abundance of Majesty: Upon the reading of this, saith he, my Body trembled, and my Soul presently was amazed, and for all the Day I did not know where I was for amazement: I was struck with such horrour and amazement, that I shoke every Joynt of me, and my Heart trembled within me, and I knew not where I was all the day long.
And this was the means of the Conversion of that famous Divine, when God did but let out a few beams of the Gospel of his Word, his Heart was struck with trembling, and it was the means of the Conversion of his Soul. O how often have you read that Chapter, and heard other Mysteries of the Gospel, and never were so affected! When the Lord hath a purpose to do good unto a Soul, the Lord lets out something of the great Mysteries that are revealed in the Word of God.
I have heard of a Godly man, a great Scholar, being in his Study at a time, and very serious in the Contemplation of the Glory of God, as it did shine in Arts and Sciences; For indeed several Arts are no other than several beams of God's Wisdome, and considering of that, he was so taken, that he fell upon his Face: Surely now these glorious Mysteries are far more dreadful to make us to fall down, and adore, and tremble before the Lord.
It will be the great work of the Saints and Angels in Heaven to stand and admire at those glorious Mysteries of the Gospel. The Soul doth not only tremble at the strictness there is in God's Word, but at the dreadful Mysteries that there are contained in the Word of God.
Eighthly; And further, A gracious Heart trembles at the Word, because it finds it very full of efficacy and quickness; It is a Word that is as a two-edged Sword, very lively wheresoever it comes, in Heb. 4.12, and so on, For the Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joynts and Marrow, and is a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart, &c. The Word of God is lively in Operation, it doth work the Soul with abundance of quickness one way or other; to Heaven or Hell; and that makes it a Word to be trembled at. It is not with people after the Word comes with Power to them as it was before: In the daies of Ignorance God winks, and therefore you shall find in the very first Commission that Christ gives unto his Apostles to go and preach: Go you, saith he, and Preach the Gospel to every Creature; he that believeth shall be saved; he that believeth not, shall be damned. You see how quick Christ is; If they will come in and believe, they shall be saved, the greatest Sinner of all; go to the wickedest Sinner, if he will come in, he shall be saved; if not, he shall be damned. The Lord deals with abundance of quickness with those that live under the powerful Ministry of the Word: Therefore, when John Baptist comes to preach, Now, saith he, is the Ax laid to the root of the Tree; why now? why not before? why now there is come a John Baptist among the People, now they come to have opened to them their Natural Condition, and now do they feel the Word speaking to their very Consciences, and if they submit not now, Now is the Ax laid to the root of the Trees: They must not think to go so long as they did before; perhaps they were old Drunkards, old Swearers, and they escap'd long, but they must not think to escape so long now: And therefore you know the Apostle saith, The Word is either the savour of life unto life, or else the savour of death unto death, 2 Cor. 2.16. This seems to have some difficulty in it, and therefore we shall a little open it unto you: He doth not say, That Death comes to one, and Life to another, but the Savour of Death, and the Savour of Life.
The meaning is this, It is taken from those things that are so full of spirit and efficacy, as the very Savour is enough to work Life or Death. If one should come to see a Medicine that the very Savour of it were enough to raise one from Death to Life, we would say it were a very quick thing, it were very full of Spirits; Why, the Word is so full of quickness, that if it be relisht it brings life, the very Savour of it; if not, it is the Savour of death unto death. Ambrose upon the Text hath this Phrase, They receive the Word as the Plague, if they do not obey it; The Plague, the very savour of it is enough to bring Death: So the Word of God, if it be not obeyed, it turns to be as a Plague to wicked and ungodly men, and the very savour of it doth destroy them. This is to be understood, that when I come to hear the Word, I come to hear that that hath so much quickness in it, that every Sermon I come to hear, I must expect to be nearer Heaven, or nearer Hell: You have come to hear a Sermon and gone away carelesly, making no account of it, nor calling thy self to an account; What, am I nearer Heaven by this Sermon I have heard this day, than I was before? Certainly if thou art not, thou art nearer hell.
Ninthly; Further, It trembles at the Word, because it sees that the Word doth cast all men for their Eternal Estate; if you would know how it shall be with you to Eternity, if you would but look into the Word, and attend upon that, you may know it: For the Word hath in it, that that doth cast every Child of Man for Eternity: Now there is a great deal of Reverence to be given to the Word. If a Prisoner comes to be cast for for his Life, he looks upon those that are in Power with a trembling heart, though he knows himself not to be guilty, and hopes the Jury will give a good Verdict; I but when he looks upon the Jury, These are the men that must cast me for my Life, he cannot but tremble: So if you do but understand what the Infinite Consequence of an Eternal Estate is, you cannot but tremble at it: When you take up the Book of God, this is the Book that must cast me for my Eternal Estate, therefore it is a Word to be trembled at.
Tenthly, Yea, and not only so, that it doth cast us here for Eternity, but it is a searching Word, that comes to search and examine us here, that doth search into the Inwards and Secrets of the Heart; it divides between the Marrow and the Bones, and discovers the very inward Thoughts of the Heart. A man that is wounded, if a Chirurgeon comes to search his wound, he looks upon him with a trembling heart.
And many may speak it by their own Experience, O how often have I come to the Word of God, and I have found God's Word searching to my very Heart, and getting to the quick, to my Soul, beyond all the dead flesh; and I have found all things discovered in my Soul before the Lord: And O what shaking falls upon Men for a long time after. In 1 Cor. 14.25. And thus are the Secrets of his Heart made manifest, and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. It's spoken here of a poor ignorant man, that shall came into a Congregation, and he looks about and admires what the matter is, but at length he finds that the Secrets of his Heart are made manifest; upon that he falls down with Reverence of God, and worships God, and saith, Verily God is among this People: So it is with many a Man and Womans heart, when they come to hear the Word, they come with carnal and vain Hearts; but when they have found that the Word comes to ransack them, and gets into them, and grapples with them, and meets with all that inward and secret distemper of their Spirits, they are made to fall down before the Word, and to say, Verily God is in this Word. This will make the Sinner to fall down, and a gracious Heart hath found this effect upon the Word.
11. Lastly, A gracious Heart trembles at God's Word, because it sees it is the Word that must be opened, to judg it at the great Day: It doth cast the Soul here, and searches the Inwards of the Soul here, and it will be one of the Books that must be opened at the great Day to judg all flesh: In Joh. 12.48. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my Words, hath one that judgeth him: the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judg him in the last Day. The Words that now you hear shall be called all over again, every Sermon that you have heard, every Truth that God hath caused to come to your Consciences shall be called over again, and shall judg you at the great Day. Now if you look upon the Word as that which shall judg you at the great Day, it cannot but make you to tremble. O now, If a gracious Heart, sees so much in the Word of God as hath been opened, surely there is cause enough that it should tremble at the Word of God. We must not condemn those that tremble; You do not, others do, do not wonder: God hath made them to see that which he hath not made you to see; But when the time of God's Love is come to your Souls, you shall see it too.
A word or two of Application.
If this be so, O then you might see First, How little of the Word of God you have understood all this while! O how little have I seen of all this that hath been opened! but there is some that see, whatsoever you do. Sometimes great Scholars do not see this, men of great parts: I but perhaps some poor Servant doth: I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, (saith Christ) that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto Babes. Now if you find that God hath wrought these things upon your hearts, and your hearts tremble at his Word, bless God for it: And this may help thee much in other Fears, that thou dost fear. O we fear malicious Men, what they can do! I but if thou fearest Gods Word, thou needst fear nothing else. O but I have a great deal of Sinfulness and Wickedness in my Heart, and I find that I do not what God's Word requires; This may help thee with Comfort against all thy weakness, though thou dost not what the Word requires; yet God knows thou hast a heart that obeys his Word in one thing as well as in another: The Lord accepts thy trembling, though thou hast not an ability to perform, Those that feared the Lord, spake often one to another: Then there was a Book of Remembrance before God, and saith God, I will spare him as a man spareth his only Child that serves him. Dost thou fear God, now thou hast a Promise, that though thou hast many weaknesses, yet God will spare thee as one spares his only Child that serves him.
Secondly, There are a great many Branches of Consolation.
Certainly, If thou dost tremble at God's Word thou shalt be comforted; though perhaps thou dost not yet find Comfort: yet if the Word of God can make thy Heart to tremble, it will comfort thee, wait for it. There is as much comfort in the Word of God for thy Soul, as there was terrour, and for that look into the Chapter where my Text is, ver. 2. I will look to him that trembles. Well, what shall become of them, v. 5. Hear the Word of the Lord ye that tremble at his Word: God comes over it again, because He doth so love it. Are there any poor Creatures whose Conscience can witness, Now the Lord knows, though I have many weaknesses, yet the Lord hath struck the awe and fear of his Word into my Heart: Your Brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my Name sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified; But he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. Why doth he speak of this Comfort, why doth he speak thus, Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my Name sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified? There were some among these people that were very Tender-Conscienced, and dar'd not do such things as others did, & therfore their Brethren did hate them, and their Brethren did cast them out; and not only notorious wicked men, but they said, Let the Lord be glorified; O we desire God's Glory as well as you; They said, let the Lord be glorified, and yet cast out their Brethren: I but the Lord would comfort those that were cast out, which trembled at his Word, and dar'd not yeeld to those things that others did.
Is it not so, my Brethren, at this very day now, There were some would yield to any thing to save their estates, and that they might not be brought to trouble. I but there were others that did tremble at God's Word, and would venture any thing rather than go against the Word of God in any one particular. Now these were cast into Prison, and with this pretence, Let God be glorified. Now hear you this, He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed: O how hath this been fulfilled.
Those proud persons that were so cruel in their oppression, and cast out their Brethren; yet those that were faithful, they gave up all, and committed their Cause to God: but within a little time how hath God appeared to our Joy, and to their shame. The fulfilling of this one Scripture should make us in love with the Word of God: How many of our Fore-fathers that did tremble at God's Word, and did suffer much Persecution, if they were but now alive to see this one thing fulfilled, it would be enough to make them stand amazed, and acknowledg the Goodness of God, and cry out, O the Word of the Lord is good, the Lord is faithful in all his Promises.
And whatsoever hereafter should be imposed upon you, if you should have any thing imposed upon you, that the Word of God will not make good, have a care; One that trembles at God's Word dares not do any thing but what God's Word bears him out in: This will not be enough for you to say hereafter at the great Day of Jesus Christ, Such and such great men did so and so, and they commanded me, or perswaded me, and I followed their Commands or Examples: But now one that trembles at the Word of the Lord will not do so. And surely the Lord hath some Objects in this Congregation that do tremble at the Word; I see it apparently for the present, that serious intention of yours unto the Word of the Lord which is delivered, doth apparently shew it. Well, God looks upon those Families, and those men in a Parish that will give such good Examples, that shall make it appear to others that their hearts are taken with the Authority of the Word of God.
Whensoever you come to hear, do not hear it as the word of men, but as the Word of God. Though it seem to be harsh to you, O it comes for your good; and there is cause you should do so, it is the Word from whence you had your Life, that's the Immortal Seed of the Word by which you are begotten: If your Souls are begotten to God, it was by the Word: I appeal to you, Either you are begotten again, or not? If you be begotten, it is the Word that hath begotten you, and it is that that is the Object of your Faith, for your Souls, and Eternal estate; surely that must needs be reverenced by you.
Again, The Word is that which must be the ground of all your Prayers; whensoever you pray to God, and do not ground your Prayers upon the Word, it is but to little purpose; saith David, Have mercy upon me according to thy Word.
Again, The Word is that which must be she comfort of you in your Affliction, therefore you had need reverence it now.
Yea, If ever your Souls be saved, it must be the Word that must save you; therefore take heed how you despise it. O it will lie upon your Conscience most dreadfully, both upon your Sick-bed and Death-bed! O fear the Word of God now!
Yea, you will say, We will fear the Word of God; but is every thing that a man speaks the Word of God? If we were sure it were God's Word, then we would yield unto it, but we know one Man is of one Opinion, and another of another.
But to that I answer, When any thing comes in God's Name, do not slightly cast it off, but try it, and examine it: Suppose one should come to you with the Broad-Seal, will you say, I do not know it to be the Broad-seal, therefore I will not yield obedience to it? it may cost you your estates then, yea that which is near and dear unto you: So, that that comes out in the Name of God, do not slightly cast it off, but yield so far unto it as to examine it, search the Scriptures, try whether it be according to the Divine Rule yea or no.
I knew a Gentleman that when he came home once from a Sermon, saith he, Well, If this be true that this Minister saies, we are in an ill Case; Now wo to that man whose chief comfort lies upon this false ground, that he hopes that which he hears out of the Word is not the Word. O that Man is in a miserable case that hath no other ground for his comfort.
But further, you will say, Will you have us take in all that is delivered?
No not so; They are commended in the Acts forsearching whether those things were so or no which Paul delivered unto them: And it is a very good and commendable thing for a people to examine whether that, that is delivered by a Minister, be the Word of God or no.
But you will say, Many of us are poor ignorant People.
I would therefore speak to the most ignorant of all, to tell them, how they may come to know what is the Word of God, and what not.
First, If thou wouldest know, be willing to come with a heart willing to yield to what thou dost know: in Joh. 7.17. If any man will do his Will, be shall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of my self. If there be a heart resigned up to God, to yield obedience, thou shalt know the Doctrine that is delivered, whether it be of God or man; there is a Promise, O make use of it.
Then in the Second place, plead this Promise before the Lord, get alone, and cry to God, and entreat the Lord that he would make it known to thee; O go and pray to God, Lord, I hear such and such things spoken, and methinks they begin to come to my heart, but I am weak and ignorant; Lord if it be thy Word, cause it to come home to my heart.
Another Rule may be this, You that can read, Search the Scriptures, and go to your Neigbours, and come to the Ministers, and labour to know the reason of things that are delivered to you: Thus it should be with the most ignorant men and women, and they cannot make any plea except they do thus, except they come with hearts resigned up to God, and make use of all the means they can to come to understand the Word of God. And when you come to Sermons to hear the Word, O labour to keep your hearts in a constant Trembling frame, and the Word that thou dost now tremble at will for ever hereafter comfort thy heart.