Gospel Fear, Sermon 2
SERMON. II.
Isai. 66.2. And that tremble at my Word.
May 26. 1644.
I Shall not repeat any thing, but look back to some other things in this great and weighty Point, that doth so nearly concern us.
The Heart that trembles at God's Word, God looks upon with Affectation, it is very lovely in God's Eye.
I but you will say, The Devils they believe and tremble, Jam. 2.19. And herein they go beyond many wretched bold Sinners, of whom we shall speak after in the Application. We read likewise of Felix, that was a notorious wicked man, that he trembled at the Word, Acts 24.25. And as he reasoned, that is, Paul reasoned of Temperance, Righteousness, and Judgment to come, Felix trembled. Felix was a Judge sat upon the Bench, and Paul a poor Prisoner at the Bar; But Preaching of Righteousness, Temperance, and Judgment to come, he makes the Judge tremble upon the Bench. You may see what a Power there is in the Word; and it is observable, in the verse before it is said, That Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the Faith in Christ. It is strange why his Wife is here named.
I find that Interpreters have reference to the Jewish Story of those times, which tell us, That this Drusilla, Felix's wife, was the wife of another man; and because Felix was a great man in Honour, she left her other Husband, and her Religion too, to marry with Felix; well now saith the Text, And as he reasoned of Righteousness, because he was a corrupt Judg, and Temperance, because that he was a Whoremaster, and Drusilla that was present was a vile, wicked, unclean woman, and therefore he doth reason of Temperance, speaks of those things that might come nearest to their Consciences: And of Judgment to come. To tell the Judg and his Dalilah that they must both stand before the Great God to answer one day: As he to answer for his Injustice, so both he and she to answer for that filthiness in which they did live. This shews the boldness of this Apostle: Though he were a Prisoner, yet to speak those things as would go to the quick of both those that he should speak unto, and could not but know that he should provoke them both.
It is said of Felix that he trembled; we do not read so of his Wife. For indeed that Sex, if they be given up to Uncleanness, they are the more hardened: he is forced to tremble at Paul's Preaching, though a wicked and ungodly man.
You will say now, If the Devils tremble, and a Felix can tremble, then how is the point made out, That the heart that trembles at God's Word, is so acceptable in God's Eye; O a poor trembling heart may say, I am afraid that all my trembling and fear is but only at the threat of God's Word, I hear of Judgment that is to come, and I fear and tremble at that, and what's that, that's nothing.
Answ. To that I answer, Nothing, yet that's something. For First, It is a Sign that the Word hath some power over your hearts more than it had before.
Secondly, It is something. For it is the right setting of Fear upon the right Object: and that's something; but to set it upon the right Object, though there be not a gracious Principle to act it in that manner as it should be upon the Object.
Yea, and Thirdly, It is somewhat to tremble so; For it may prevent a great deal of Evil, it may keep you free from many Temptations, even this trembling of thy Heart may strengthen thee against Temptations.
Fourthly, And it is somewhat farther, because it may be a Preparation for more good that God may intend towards them.
Object. I but you will say, This may be, and yet no more.
Answ. Ay, but first know that there is none that hath Grace can be without this in some measure; Though some that have this, have no Grace, yet there is none hath Grace, but hath this.
Object. You will say, Yes; Some may be brought to Christ, and never have Tremblings.
Answ. To that I Answer, When the Soul is brought to Christ, wherefore doth the Soul close with Christ; when it believes in him and upon him, is it not that that dreadful breach between God and it may be made up in Christ the Mediator? and is the Soul sensible of this and not tremble? certainly it cannot but tremble: Therefore though it may be where Grace is not, yet where there is Grace this is.
Secondly, Know that this is the temper of Heart (and even thus far thou art gone) that God uses to work in those that He doth intend to work good in at last.
Object. Ay, but you will say, That some may have this, and yet never be saved: They may perish at last, and yet have so far a trembling at God's Word as to be afraid of the Threatnings there.
Answ. To that I Answer, Though its true, that there may be some trembling at the Threats in the Word of God, and yet the Soul may miscarry: And not only not for the present have Saving Grace, but it may be never come to have Saving Grace; But yet know, that there is a great deal of difference between the trembling that God will bring unto good, and that that comes to nothing at last.
I shall shew you that, and then come to shew you what a true sanctified trembling at God's Word is.
But First, Even the trembling at God's threats: There is a great deal of Difference, If you put but these four or five things together, that I am now speaking of, you shall see a great deal of Difference between the Fear that comes to nothing, and the Fear that God brings to somthing at last: Those therefore that have these five Notes, put them all together, it is such a trembling as I believe there never can be shewn an example of it, but that it hath come to good at last.
As First, When the Trembling (though for the present at the Threats of Gods Word, it is the greatest Fear of all, swallowes up all other Fears:) I mean in regard of the greatness of it. There are two things that cause greatness of Fear in the Heart.
First, The greatness of an Evil.
Secondly, That this Evil be hard to overcome.
If the Evil be light, the Heart disregards it: Now if it be a great evil, yet if it may easily be avoided, the heart of man will slight it; but put these two together, a great Evil and very hard to avoid, now the Heart fears. Now the Soul that is thus brought to trembling, to apprehend the breach between God and it, and the evil of Sin, as the Word discovers it, to be the greatest evil of all; and now hath other manner of thoughts of the difficulty of making up of peace with God then ever formerly it had; the Word doth reveal to it, that it is a thing of infinite difficulty to make up peace with God: and upon this ground it so fears and trembles, as it is above all other Fears and Trembling.
Secondly, (For we must not take any of these Signs alone) It is possest with great Fear so as it justifies God: And here comes in a special difference indeed, for if you take the greatness of it alone, perhaps it may be in some that may perish. But if you put to it the other, That in this great Fear, when the Soul doth thus tremble at what things the Lord hath revealed to it in his Word, the Soul shall justifie God and his Word in all: Though the Word speaks dreadful things against me, yet just is the Word of God, and righteous is God in his Word▪ The Soul falls down and justifies God in all that Severity that He doth reveal in his Word against those Sins, that this Soul is conscious to it self of: When the Heart comes to this, it indeed comes to be in a hopeful condition. Many there are which are forced to tremble, I but they fret against God, and repine against the Justice of God and of his Word: But when the Lord strikes the Heart with Fear, and causeth the Soul to justifie Him and his Word, now the Soul is in a good way indeed.
Thirdly, This Heart doth not only fear the Threats of God's wrath, but fears the evil of departure from God, and the loss of the Presence of God, the loss of the enjoyment of Communion with God, to be for ever cast out from the Lord, never to see his Face, and to enjoy any good in Him; this the Word reveals, and this the Soul trembles at, as well as at Hell. Many a carnal Heart may tremble when it hears of the threats of Hell; and of eternal Fire; but for the Heart to tremble at the apprehensions of God's departing from it, and of its rejection from the Holy and Blessed God: O it's a very good Sign when the Heart trembles at this.
Fourthly, The Heart doth so tremble at the Word of God as nothing can quiet it, nothing can ever satisfie it, but only Reconciliation with God. When there is nothing can satisfie the Heart that is struck with this Fear and Trembling, but Reconciliation with God himself, whatsoever God propounds unto it, it can never satisfie it: Some perhaps in time of Sickness may tremble at God's Word, I but if they have health then they are quiet: In Afflictions they tremble, but in Prosperity they are quiet; but the Heart that is struck with the Fear that God intends to bring it to good, will never be quiet with any thing but Reconciliation with God.
Fifthly, This Fear is that that doth not drive the heart from God, nor make it to go out to any shifting courses, nor in Despair to fly from God: But it is a Fear that brings the Heart unto God, that drives it to God powerfully: The Fear and Trembling that causeth Despair in the Heart, or howsoever not to come into God's Presence, that's Fear that some Reprobates have, and may have; But the Fear that drives the Heart to God, the greater that Fear, the more strongly is the Heart driven to God; this is a good Sign that this Fear and trembling is right. So then put these five together. That thy Fear is the greatest Fear, that swallows up all other Fears. That thou dost justifie God in this thy Fear. That thou dost fear the departure from God as well as the wrath of God. That nothing can quiet thee but Reconciliation. That this doth not drive thee from God, but drives thee to God. I say, Where can be ever shewn any example of any Soul that did miscarry in this Case? Though I will not say that this very thing is Saving Grace; But I will say, that there is no Example can be shown in Scripture, where this work hath been, but the Lord hath gone further with the Soul. But still we have not shewn you what is the Trembling that is for the present so acceptable in the Eye of God: what is the true sanctified Trembling at the Word of God, that only a gracious Heart hath in him.
To that I shall Answer in these Particulars; and indeed there is much in this point for our Edification, to understand the true sanctified work of Fear in the Heart, when the Soul fears God and his Word.
What the true sanctified Fear of God and his Word is.
First, It is a Fear that the Soul is active in: I beseech you observe it. I mean by that thus, that it is not a forced Fear, a forced Trembling; but the Lord doth go further with the Heart than so. The Soul hath an inward Principle in it that doth act this Fear; I mean thus, The Lord hath caused my Heart to see that in the Word which makes me tremble, and I am glad of it: I am glad that I know the Word, that ever it was revealed to me, and that ever God did make me so apprehensive of it. The Heart now doth act in this, and accounts it a Mercy that this Word that causes it to fear and tremble was revealed to it; it doth not think it an Evil and a Misery, as many people when they hear the Word that makes their hearts to tremble: they look upon it as a Plague to them, they cry out of the Word, and perhaps of the Ministers of it; as those possest once cried out of Christ, Art thou come to torment us before our time? and they labour all they can to put off those Thoughts that may work this Fear upon their Hearts; And they think that if they can but get out the Word from their Consciences that the Lord hath been pleased to dart into them by his Ministery, then they are safe. But they vex and fret that they cannot sleep quietly since they heard such a Man, nor eat and drink, nor go about their business quietly, therefore they account it their Bondage and Misery, that their Hearts are so sensible of the Word of God as they are. But it is otherwise with a gracious Heart, the Lord is pleased to cause Fear and trembling in a Heart that is gracious, and this Heart blesseth God that hath made him sensible of his Word, and thinks it as a Favour of God towards him, and therefore labours to maintain this Fear and Trembling within it, and gathers what Arguments it can to maintain this Fear in the Heart. Ʋnite my heart to the Fear of thy Name: You know it is the Prayer of David and of the Church, Lord thou hast been pleased to begin to cause me to see the Authority and Majesty of thy Word, I am afraid I shall lose this Fear, Lord unite my Heart to the Fear of thy Name, Lord implant this Fear of thine in my Heart; as it was said of Daniel, (that place that upon another occasion I made use of) c. 7. last ver. My Cogitations much troubled me, and my Countenance changed in me, but I kept the matter in my heart. I, this was a Sign of a gracious Heart in this case; though the Case was otherwise than this we are now speaking of, yet it may be useful to us. How few are there in this Congregation (almost in any Congregation) that do thus: It may be you come to hear what is delivered, and you cannot deny the truth of those things, they are spoken perhaps convincingly to you, and upon that your Cogitations do trouble you, and your very Countenance is changed. Do you keep the matter in your Heart? No. Is it not rather your endeavour to put the matter out of your Heart? I remember I heard once of a very carnal wretched man, that accidentally hearing a Sermon, and the Word came very close to him, saith he, I profess I could not get the Word out of my Conscience for a whole Week together that the man spake. Now a gracious Heart keeps it in its Conscience. Here's the right Trembling, when the Heart is active; it is not a forced work, but the Soul doth gather in those truths.
Secondly, As the Soul is active in it, so the Soul is made active by it: And there is very much in this, An Hypocrite that hath fear upon the hearing of the Word struck into it, such an one is sunk with the fear ordinarily; if he doth not despair, yet he is discouraged, and dull'd with his Fear, and hath no heart to do any thing. But now the Fear of the Godly is such a Fear as doth enlarge their Souls unto God, and makes their Hearts active for God; makes them fit for Duty, and not unfits them for it, as the Fear of the Hypocrite doth; and for that you have a very notable Text in Ezra 9.3. And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment, and my mantle, and pluckt off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonished.
See how the good Man was troubled, because the Word of the Lord it was disobeyed; The man was astonished and extreamly troubled: Then, ver. 5. And at the Evening Sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness, and having rent my Garment and my Mantle, I fell upon my Knees, and spread out my Hands unto the Lord my God, and now makes a gracious Prayer: So that from thence, here's the Note that is of marvellous Use, That Souls which in a gracious manner are struck with the Fear of God and of his Word, this doth not hinder them in Duty, but doth enlarge them: It enlarges the Heart, and it makes the Heart so much the more active for God; more active than it was before: For those two may stand together, Fear and Inlargement. In Jer. 33.9. And they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness, and for all the prosperity that I promise unto it. But in Isa. 60.5. we have both expressions together, Fear and Enlargement. Now when these two are together, when the Heart is struck with the Fear of God, and yet it hath enlargement at the same time, and by it is made active and fit for service, this is a Sign of a gracious Trembling that God doth so accept of: God doth not so much regard the horror that is in Mens Spirits that doth dull men, sink them, and makes them unfit for Service; but that which doth enlarge them and make them fit for Service, that's that which God doth so accept of.
Thirdly, This gracious Trembling at God's Word, it is joyn'd with Love; it is a Fear and yet a Love: a mixture of Fear and Love together: It trembles at the Word, and yet it loves the Word; it will not be taken off from Hearing the Word, though it Tremble at it. It will join side with the Word if any man speak against it. It is ordinarily among men, that those that are most fear'd are never most loved, they hate those that they fear; but indeed an ingenuous disposition desires to beloved as well as to be feared. Now an Hypocrite may be brought to fear and tremble at the Word of God, I but he never loves it. First, Fear and Love do not join together in them; They fear God's Word, but they hate it, and they wish that there were no such Word of God, and that it were not so strict and holy as it is: And that's as much as to say, that God were not so holy, which is as much as to say, I would there were no God at all: And yet a wicked Heart is so in love with his Lusts, that rather than he should not have his Lusts, he would have no God at all: As we read of Ahab, he was brought to tremble, and yet he hated the Word of God, and the Prophet: That place is very famous concerning Ahab, in the 1 Kin. 22.8. where we have the Story of Ahab, when he was going to Ramoth Gilead; And the King of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, there is yet one man (Michaia, the Son of Imlah) by whom we may enquire of the Lord, but I hate him; for he doth not prophesie good concerning me, but evil: And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the King say so. I name this place, that I might compare it with the temper of Ahab's heart in Chap. 21. Here Ahab professeth that there is one Prophet of the Lord, but saith he, I hate him: Now mark in the latter end of the Chap. when the Prophet came to him to speak the Word of the Lord, he was struck with Fear and Trembling, for the Text saith, That when Ahab heard those words, that be rent his cloaths, and put sack-cloath upon his flesh, and fasted, and went softly. Is this the Ahab, he that was struck with the Word of God, and put on Sack-cloath, and went softly, shaking and trembling at God's Word; and yet in the next Chap. saith, There is one Prophet of the Lord, but I hate h m. Ahab did tremble before the Prophets of God, and yet hated them: But a gracious Heart trembles at the Word of God, and yet loves it, and he rejoices at it as a good Word in particular unto him. That's a Third Proof.
Fourthly, True Fear and Trembling at the Word is that which will settle the Heart, and strengthen the Heart against all other Fears: It will swallow up other Fears that are greater (that's before.) But that it hath a vertue in it to strengthen the Heart, to make it stand out against all other Fears, this is that that is the gracious Trembling at the Word. As now for instance, A Heart that trembles at the Word, though he was afraid then: Yet when it comes to outward Losses and Afflictions in the world, such a Heart is not much afraid there: That place is famous in Habbak. 3. there you have a Prophet that had a very Trembling Heart at God's Word when he did hear it; for so you shall find it in Vers. 16. When I heard, my Belly trembled: my Lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my Bones, and I trembled in my self: Here you see, Trembled, quivered, rottenness entered into my bones. You will say, Surely Habakkuk was a very timerous man; but mark, you shall find that he was not a timerous Man, he was a Man of a stout and strong Spirit, and this Trembling at Gods Word did strengthen his Spirit, and made him stout against all outward Afflictions in the world, ver. 17. Although the Figtree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the Fields shall yield no meat, the Flock shall be cut off from the Fold, and there shall be no Herd in the Stalls: that is, There shall be a dreadful Famine, and all things shall be in a dark dreadful condition, now his Heart that was taken with Fear so much before, fears none of these things: There's many of you that will not tremble at God's Word, but you will tremble at the fears of any loss; you will tremble at Men, though not at the Word of God: But a true, gracious Trembling at God's Word, doth strengthen the Heart against other Fears; and so it was with David in Psal. 119.161. See how he was strengthened by fearing the Word of God, Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word: As if he should say, This is that which shall help me, Princes set themselves against me, and they persecute me without cause, but my heart shall stand in awe of thy Word, the Fear that there is of thy Word in my heart, shall make me that I will not fear all the Persecutions of the great Ones in the World. I stand in awe of thy Word, as if he should say, There are a Company of base-hearted, white-liver'd Wretches, that seem to be stout in other things, but when it comes to the Case of Persecution, they will yield to any thing: But what is it that makes them do so? It is because their Hearts were never struck with the Fear of God's Word. But I do not much fear: Why? Because I have another Fear in my Heart that strengthens me against that Fear: So that this Trembling at God's Word, it is that which will help the Soul against all other Tremblings.
And therefore by the way, Do not think it is a hard Lesson to teach you to tremble at God's Word: What, doth he bring Fear to us? he brought Peace at first; No, It is the way to cure you of all base Fears. If you will never fear man, nor losses, nor any affliction, nor trouble, then fear the Word of God, and tremble at that: The more Fear there is of God's Word, the less fear of any creature in the world: It is the only way to free you from all Fears whatsoever.
Fifthly, Another Note is this, The true gracious Trembling at God's Word, it is joined with Joy: It is joined with Love (as before); but Joy that's a higher degree. There is in Sanctification of the Heart, a blessed mixture of Love and Joy. As in Curious Works, there is Gold, and Silver, and Pearls together, and all makes it beautiful: So the Grace of Sanctification is an enamel'd work: So Fear and Joy. You know the place in Psal. 2.11. Rejoice with trembling: The Soul trembles at the Word, and yet is glad that there is such a Word of God; and he doth account the Word of God to be the Inheritance of the Soul. We have an excellent Scripture for that, That though the Word of God be that which strikes trembling, yet the Heart rejoyces in it: In Deuter. 33.2. the Text saith, From his right hand went a fiery Law: But mark what follows in Ver. 40. Moses commanded us a Law, even the Inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob. What, A Fiery Law, and yet an Inheritance? Yes, though it hath never so much Severity in it. Mark ver. 3. He commanded a fiery Law, and yet He loved the people: You must not think neither that a Minister Preaching things that seem to be dreadful to you; whereas they are only against such things, as you should account your enemies: You may not think that He doth not love you; Mark here, God gave a Fiery Law, and yet He loved them. They shall set with all Meekness, and Quietness, and Humility at thy Feet, and receive of thy Words; Though it be a Fiery Law. And then ver. 4. Moses commanded us a Law, even the Inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob. O though the Law be a fiery Law, yet we account our Inheritance to be in our Law: And therefore those that would altogether take away the Law from us, would take away part of our Inheritance: Therefore Trembling and Joy may go together. And a place, though not so full, yet more express than this we have in Psal. 119.162. I rejoice at thy Word, as one that findeth great spoil. It may be if you should be travelling and meet with some great Booty, you would rejoice at that: Why, a gracious Heart can rejoice at God's Word, as much as any man in the world can that findeth great Spoils: Therefore when we put you upon the Fearing of God's Word, we are not enemies to your Joy. But the truth is, the only way to have true Joy, it is to tremble at the Word of God.
Sixthly, A Gracious Trembling it is an Habitual Trembling: A trembling of Heart that is habitual in the Heart, not at a sudden only. Many times God strikes some suddain flashes of Terror into the Hearts of Men and Women, but they vanish and come to nothing. But this Trembling at God's Word that the Lord doth so highly esteem of, It is a constant habitual Disposition of Soul; It is not therefore only at some apprehensions of God's displeasure, but let God speak peace to the Soul (I beseech you observe this Note) let God speak never so much peace to this Soul, yet still it doth continue trembling at the Word of God: God's speaking peace to it doth not take away this disposition of Heart: When it hath the most quiet of …nscience, yet then it continues trembling at the Word of God. Many men will tremble at God's Word in time of their Sickness and Affliction; but let them have quiet, and outward peace and ease, then their trembling is gone. But a gracious Heart trembles at the Word of God, even when it hath most quiet of Conscience; & it is an excellent Argument of Truth & Peace indeed, if you can find this when your Consciences are most quiet, yet then your hearts do tremble at the Word of God. There is an excellent Scripture for this in Dan. 10.11. And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: Here was a message of abundance of Mercy to Daniel, and the Lord by an Angel professed that Daniel was one greatly beloved: And the Lord sent his Angel to instruct him in his Will. For mark, For unto thee am I now sent: And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling: For all this, though he had this testimony from God at this very time, That he was a man greatly beloved, and the Angel was sent to tell him, His Prayer was heard, and yet notwithstanding he stands trembling, he stands with reverence and fear before the Lord, to attend upon his Word. Thus it will be with a gracious Heart, when there is the greatest testimony of God to it for acceptation, when it hath the most quiet in its Spirit, yet it comes to the Word, and stands trembling before it.
Seventhly, and Lastly, It is such a Fear as subdues the Heart to the power of the Word, subdues the Thoughts, the Opinion, the Conscience, the Will, the Affections to the power of the Word: Such a Fear as was struck into the heart o… …aul at his Conversion in Act. 9.6. here's a true trembling, He trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Whatsoever my Opinions have been heretofore, whatsoever my waies have been heretofore; What Stubborness and Stoutness there hath been in my Heart heretofore, Lord no more, no more, thou hast struck my Heart with Fear. When God by his Word shall smite down the Heart of a Man or Woman, and make them thus to tremble as Saul here did, and cry out, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? this is a gracious Trembling, and such as the Lord hath a special eye to, and regard of: O such an one that thus trembles at the Word of God, is dear and precious in God's Eye.
Reasons why God doth so highly prize a trembling Heart.
But now, Why you will say, Hath the Lord such a special regard to this Trembling Heart?
Why First, Because here's a disposition that doth glorifie God's Word. When men come and hear it with slight and vain Spirits, and can perhaps when they go away make Jests of it, and speak lightly of it, these do dishonour the Word of God; But when the Lord sees a company of poor Creatures coming to hear his Word, and tremble before it, at the apprehension of those Particulars that I opened to you, now the Lord sees his Word to be honoured, and God loves to put much honour upon his Word Himself; and therefore He loves those that shall put much honour upon his Word likewise. We read in Isaiah 42. that He loves to make his Law honourable: At the 21. v. The Lord is well pleased for his Righteousness sake, He will magnifie his Law, and make it honourable: Let men make it as despicable as they will, yet God will make it honourable. Why the Lord loves to have his Law magnified and made honourable. I confess by Law is meant all God's Word, not the Law in opposition to the Gospel: Now as the Lord loves himself to magnifie it, and make it honourable, so He loves to see his Creatures to do it.
And art thou one that tremblest at God's Word? thou dost as it were help God in the great thing that He delights to do. When a company shall glorifie God's Word, as in another case we have it in the Acts, They glorified the Word of God, O the Lord loves that. Now this disposition of heart doth glorifie the Word of God, that is dearer to him than any thing but only his Son: Heaven and Earth, saith Christ, shall pass away, but not one j…t or tittle of my Word shall pass away. Now thou that puttest honour upon God's Word, O thou art acceptable in God's Eye.
Secondly, This puts a great deal of Honour upon God, His Name is much sanctified in this disposition of Heart, here's honour put upon the Wisdom, the Soveraignty, the Majesty, the Authority, the Holiness of the Great God.
Now the truth is, The Lord is more honoured by a Heart trembling at his Word, than by a Heart trembling at any glorious Manifestations of Himself in all his Works: As thus, Suppose the Lord should come and appear from Heaven in Glory, with Thunder, and Ligtning, and Earthquake, and now should appear to you as He will at the great Day of Judgment, and the Heavens departing like a Scroul, and the Firmament melting with fervent Heat; now perhaps all of you would tremble at the Great Day of Judgment. But certainly, My Brethren, for a Soul to tremble at God's Word, doth glorifie God more than the Glory that God shall have by Mens trembling at His glorious Manifestation at the Great Day. Why? Because that is such a manifestation of God as cannot but force it from us. But this Trembling it comes from a gracious sanctified frame that there is in the Heart of a Man; and this God accounts himself more glorified by, than He shall do at that Day; And therefore you that would not tremble at that Day with Horror and Despair, tremble now at God's Word, and you need not fear that at that great Day all those glorious Manifestations of God shall daunt your Hearts with any Horrour: Why? Because God hath had the Glory of his Name by your fearing of him already, more than He should have had by any Horrour that He could strike into you at the Day of Judgment. Saith God, What need I force out my Glory from these poor creatures, by striking Horrour in them by such a glorious Manifestation: For I did but manifest my self to them in my Word, and their Hearts did tremble and gave Glory to me. In Psal. 29. the Psalmist saith, That the Voice of the Lord was as Thunder, and so speaks of the Voice of God most dreadful. God hath a great deal of Glory by Thundering and Lightning, and causing of the mighty Oakes to quake and tremble: In Joel 3.16. The voice of the Lord shake… the Heavens and the Earth. God when He w…uld manifest his Glory, He manifest it by his powerful Voice: But now God hath more Glory by shaking an Immortal Soul by his Word, than He hath by his shaking of the Heavens and the Earth. 'Tis true, If God did but speak one word, He could shake this Building, and Heaven and Earth: I but He should not have so much Glory by shaking them, as He hath by one immortal Soul that doth tremble in that manner as hath been opened to you. O no marvail that God doth look to such an one, when as his Word, yea and Himself is so honoured and glorified by them.