Gospel Fear, Sermon 3
SERMON III. June 2. 1644.
And he that trembleth at my Word,
Isai. 66.2.
THe Lord hath a special Eye to a Trembling Heart; Why? Because as his Word is ho…oured, his Name is sanctified, so the Lord sees his Heart to be a broken Heart, a serious Heart, and a teachable Heart, therefore it must needs be accepted of God. It is a broken, an humble Heart: Therefore it is added, A contrite and broken Heart that trembles at God's Word, they are put together. Now the Lord takes much delight in a broken Heart, that's the rise indeed of Trembling at the Word of God; and the reason why men do not Fear and Tremble at the Word of God, it is from the Pride of their Hearts, and from the Hardness of their Hearts; But an humble and broken Heart, that being so precious, and the rise of this, this must needs be precious befo…e God.
And then it is a serious Heart, and God loves a serious Disposition: When the Creature hath to deal with God, and that in serious things, it had need be serious: God cannot endure a slight and a vain Heart, it is a dreadful Curse of God upon Mens Spirits. But when the Heart begins to be serious, to mind God and his Truths in a serious way, then there is a great deal of hopes of such an one.
And it is very Teachable; A Heart that is Trembling at the Word of God, it is Teachable: In Act. 13.16. Ye that fear God, saith Paul, give audience. As if he should say, I know you will regard what is said: There's none fit indeed to hear the Word but such as have the Fear of God upon them, they will be taught: You know the Scripture saith, That The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome: Then do Men and Women begin to have wise Hearts, when the Fear of God is upon them; Then they begin to understand Gods Word, when their Hearts begin to fear before the Word of God. So long as Men have bold and presumptuous Hearts, they come to the Word, and go away from it, and understand nothing; But when the Heart comes to tremble, then it comes to understand, then it is teachable. And therefore before the Lord would instruct Job, He first struck him with Fear. In Prov. 15.33. saith the Text, The Fear of the Lord is the instruction of Wisdome; Observe it, It is not only as in other Texts, The beginning of Wisdome, but the Instruction of Wisdome. Noting thereby, That Wisdome will never instruct a Soul that hath not the Fear of the Lord, it begins that way first.
Except the Lord causeth the Heart to fear before Him, it will not be instructed, no not by Wisdom it self; the Fear of the Lord is the Instruction of Wisdome, such a Heart is a teachable Heart. The Jaylor that was rude and rugged before, yet in Act. 16.29. being instructed with Fear, He came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, What must I do to be saved? Now the Jaylor is in a teachable Disposition when he comes trembling, and saith, What shall I do to be saved? When Men ask Questions in a trembling way, now they are in a teachable disposition: O here is a precious frame of Spirit, because it is an argument of a serious Heart, and a teachable Heart.
We proceed now to the Applicattion.
First; In the first place, If this be such a gracious Disposition, that God so much regards the Trembling at his Word, hence first we learn, That God doth not judg as Men judg: That is not precious to God that is to Men, and that which is not precious to Men, is precious to God. Men they are altogether for bold Spirits, and jovial and brave Hearts that are full of mettle; But as for those that are trembling and afraid of whatsoever the Word speaks, and are ready to be troubled in Conscience, that are of p…or, and broken, and troubled Spirits, they cannot away with such men, they call the proud, happy; but God doth otherwise. But God calls the Trembling Heart the Happy Man, that's the Blessed Heart in God's esteem: The world would despise such anone that stands shaking and trembling at the Word: It cannot stand with the braveness of the Spirits of the men of the world; But is there any poor Soul that shakes and trembles before God at his Word, To this man will I look, saith God. There is no object in Heaven or Earth that pleases me better than such an one that trembles before me. But I must not stand upon that.
Secondly, If this be such a Disposition that God doth so much look at, It should teach the Ministers of God …hat have to deal with God's Word, when they speak it, to speak it in such a manner, as that it may gain Fear and Trembling, that the Hearts of People may be struck with Fear and Trembling. They must not come to dally and to play with Mens Fancies, nor with their own Wit: But when they come to speak the Word of God in God's Name, they should labour so to speak it, as that the Hearts of their Auditors may be struck with Fear and Trembling: For indeed there is such a way of speaking the Word of God, that will bring it with Majesty to the Hearts of the People, to whom we speak, 1 Cor. 2.4. saith the Apostle there concerning the Ministry of the Word, My Spe…ch and my Preaching, was not with enticing words of mans Wisdom; but how, But in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power: See here two sorts of Preaching; Here's the Preaching that is with enticing words of mans wisdom, upon which a Preacher may be commended for a brave Man, a witty Man, a curious Man, and an hundred such Epithites my be put upon him; But saith Paul, We preach in the demonstration of the Spirit, and what followes, and of Power: So that the Power of the Word followes upon the Demonstration of the Spirit. When as People apprehend a Minister Preaching only Wit, and his Parts, the Heart of a Man will contemn it; it may commend the Man, but contemn the Word, for it hath no power over the Conscience: But when a Minister of God comes in God's Name, and Preacheth in the Demonstration of the Spirit, then he Preacheth with Power: Such Power as prevails with the Consciences of Men: The demonstration of the Spirit and of Power. It is said of Christ in Math. 7. ult. That He did not Preach as the Scribes and Pharisees, but as one that had Authority. The Scribes and Pharisees had a flanting way of Preaching, but as one that had Authority, that spoke to the Consciences of men: So the Ministers of Christ ought to speak in the Name of Christ, as being backt with the Authority of Christ, as men that have to deal with mens. Consciences, and not with mens Fancies. And certainly it is the best commendations of a Sermon, that the Hearts of People are struck with it. Those that write of Basil and Chrysostome, those two famous Preachers in their time, they tell us of them, That they did not account their honours to be in the humms of People, in their applause, but in their crying out, when men and women shall come and cry, What shall I do to be saved? Here's the commendations of a Minister. And Ministers should labour that their Ministery should be such a Ministery, because the Lord hath an high esteem of a Heart that trembles at his Word. There is matter enough in the Word of God to make any Heart to tremble, if it be delivered as the Word of God. What's the chaff to the wheat? 1 Pet. 4.11. If any man speak, let h…m speak as the Oracles of God: If any man undertake to speak God's Word, it must be as the Word of God, the Oracles of God.
I remember I have read of Tully, he spoke so powerfully, that he made Caesar's Book fall out of his hand. And certainly if Tully could do so with his Eloquence, there is that Power and Eloquence in the Word of God, as will make the Lusts of men to fall out of their Hearts. The Weapons of our Warfare are mighty through God, to the casting down of strong bolds, and p…oud Imaginations that exalt themselves against God and his Truth. There is a Power in God's Word, they are mighty through God, not being Carnal according to the Flesh, but Spiritual, they come to be able to cast down the proud Imaginations, and to make them to tremble before the Lord. That's the Second Use.
Thirdly; From this gracious Disposition of Heart, Trembling at the Word, you may learn the Reason why the Servants of God are so obedient to God's Word, and dare do nothing against it: God hath put into them a Trembling at his Word, they see that in God's Word that others do not. You wonder at some men why they are so strict in their way, why they will rather suffer any thing in the World, than go against any one sentence in the Word: You wonder at it; Why because you do not see so much Majesty and Authority in God's Word, your Hearts have not been struck with Fear and Trembling: But they see such a Majesty and Fear in the Word, that they dare not go against it. They had rather endure any evil in the world, than go against the Word, they dare not do as you dare. In Revel. 6.9. It is said of some there, That when the Fifth Seal was opened, I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the Testimony which they held: that is, They would rather be slain, than they would go contrary to the Word of God; they would keep themselves close to the Word, whatsoever became of their Lives and of their Estates: I saw the Souls of those, and they were under the Altar, they were in God's Protection: O surely they were such as trembled at the Word of God, and God looks at such Souls, the Soul of such an one shall lie under the Altar, shall be in God's eye: That so trembles as would rather lose Life and All, than do any thing against God's Word. That's the Third Ʋse.
Fourthly. The Fourth Use is a Ʋse of Comfort and Incouragement unto all those that are of such a blessed Disposition as this, that do tremble at the Word, To him will I look that tr…mbles at my Word. The very Text is full of Marrow, full of Comfort unto such. In Nature they say, That Tremor Cordis is a Disease, The Trembling of the Heart. But in Divinity it is no Disease, but a very gracious Disposition: And such as have such a blessed Disposition, may have much Comfort from it: The Comfort may flow unto their Souls in these several streams. There are these Six or Seven Streams of Consolation flowing into the Hearts of such as Tremble at God's Word.
1. The First is, Surely God hath begun to enlighten thy Soul, in that he hath begun to make thee see His Glory in his Word, this is a great Mercy. There was a time that thou sa…vest nothing in the Word of God more than in the word of Man, more than in other things: But hath God begun to shew thee his Majesty and Glory in his Word? O this is a rich Mercy, it is a Sign that God is beginning to do great things for thy Soul.
Secondly, But further, If thou hast a Heart that trembles at the Word; Know that all the Threats that are in God's Word, they have the Glory of them already upon thy Soul, and therefore thou needest not to fear any evil of them: Thou needest not, I say, fear the execution of any Threats that there are in God's Word. Why, because God hath the Glory that He would have from his Threats already in and upon thy Heart. Why is it that the Lord in his Word doth so threaten Sinners? It is that He might have Glory, that Sinners might fear before Him; but now if thou dost fear before Him, and give Glory to Him, God hath his end in his Threats, and therefore they have no further to do with thee. It is a great Comfort to a Soul to know that there's never a Threatning in God's Word that hath to do with me, to bring any Evil upon me; Why, Because they have had their end upon me, though not in execution.
There is a twofold end of Threatnings; Either God fetches out Glory to his Name by the Execution: Or Secondly, By the Heart Trembling before Him.
Now if God may have his Glory by thy Trembling, He will never desire his Glory by Execution. When He takes his Glory by Execution, It is not that He takes delight to crush under feet the Prisoners of the Earth. Indeed God hath pleasure in his own Glory, He is resolved that He will have Glory to his Name from every Creature. But now God had rather have his Glory from our Souls in active way, than to force out Glory from us in a passive way. And therefore if thou hast a Heart to give Glory to Him in an active way, thou needest not fear that God will force out his Glory in a passive way.
Thirdly, If thou hast a Heart that trembles at the Word, Know that that very Word of Salvation God intends to thee in a special manner: When God doth at any time bring a word of Life and Salvation to any Congregation, God hath a special aim at thy Soul, and doth intend thee in speaking a word of Life and Salvation: For that, take that forenamed Scripture in Act. 13.16. Men of Israel, and ye that fear God give audience: But mark what he saith in Vers. 26. Men and Brethren, Children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this Salvation sent. Is there a Soul that fears before the Lord, that trembles at his Presence? to that Soul is the Word of Salvation sent. When at any time thou comest to hear in the Ministry of the Word any thing spoken of Life and Salvation, know that God aims at thy Soul in particular: To thee is the Word of this Salvation sent.
Fourthly, Certainly if thou tremblest at God's Word, thou shalt be comforted. There is as much matter in the Word of God to comfort a Soul, as to make it tr…ble and fear: And for that I might give you many Promises in Scripture; take these three.
The First is in a verse or two after my Text, that heretofore I have also made use of: Hear the Word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his Word. You tremble at my Word, Hear it; what must I hear? 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. As if he should say, You trembled, so as you dar'd not do as others did, especially in my Worship, you dar'd not venture as they did, and therefore they cast you out: But here's a Promise to such, The Lord shall appear to your comfort, and they shall be ashamed. The Lord hath fulfilled this Word many a time.
Another Promise you have in Prov. 13 13. Who so despiseth the Word, shall be destroyed: But he that feareth the Commandment, shall be rewarded: God will reward you for this. Dost thou come before the Lord with a Heart trembling at his Word? When thou hearest his Word, Dost thou receive it with a trembling Heart? He that feareth the Commandment, he shall be rewarded. It is opposite to the other Threatning.
And a Third Promise is that in Isai. 50.10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyes the voice of his Servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light? let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God: That is, Where is this Soul that hath such a Trembling frame of Heart, that dares not but obey the Voice of God in his Word? It may be there is some such in this place, that sits in Darkness and can see no Light, That hath walked with a Trembling Disposition at God's Word, and is able to appeal to God, and say; Lord, Thou that knowest all things, Thou knowest that I would not for a world but obey thy Voice, that my Heart doth stand in aw of thy Word, and yet perhaps this Soul is in Darkness for the present, and sees no Light, at such a Soul the Lord doth look at this day, and speaks, and saith, Let such a Soul trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay himself upon his God; for there is Mercy indeed for such a Soul. And that's a Fourth Stream of Consolation to such as do tremble at the Word of God, that this Word of God shall certainly comfort them.
Fifthly. Another Stream of Consolation is this, That this disposition of thy Heart in Trembling at God's Word, it is accepted instead of Obedience. Though thou canst not obey God's Word as thou wouldest, yet the Lord will spare thee. The Soul that finds many weaknesses, and not able to obey many Truths of God that it hears revealed in the Word, yet if it trembles at it, Peace be to that Soul: I say the Lord accepts of this Trembling Disposition instead of Obedience, and indeed rather. The very act of Obedience hath not so much in it as this; For an Hypocrite may perform the Act of Obedience, but he hath little of this. In Mal. 3.16. there it appears plainly, that it is spoken of such a Disposition as this, for in the 15. Vers. And now we call the proud happy: yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God, are even delivered. But in the 16. vers. Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a Book of Remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his Name. Mark how God loves to repeat this, and as it were to roul it under his tongue, as we use to do things that are sweet. He doth not only say for them, but for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his Name; And, saith the Text, They shall be mine, in that day when I make up my Jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him. So that God doth not say, To him will I look that doth my Word, but to him that trembleth at my Word. Saith a Learned man upon the place, There's more Godliness in the Trembling of the Heart, than in the work of the Hand: God accepts of it, and therefore be thou comforted in this.
Sixthly; And then another Stream of Comfort is this, The Lord will reveal himself to this Soul. Of all dispositions in the world, the Lord loves to manifest himself to such an one as this; Though for the present perhaps He doth it not, yet wait upon Him, and the Lord will make known most glorious things to thee, thou shalt know the Mind of God rather than any other. I shall give you a notable Text for this purpose, that they that have Trembling Hearts at God's Word, they come to know the Mind of God sooner than any other men in the world, the Text it is in Ezra 10.3. Now therefore, let us make a Covenant with our God, to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my Lord, and of those that tremble at the Commandment of our God. Come, saith he, let us go and do. How? According to the Counsel of my Lord, and according to the Counsel of those that tremble at the Commandment of our God. As if he should say, Certainly they know God's Mind, let's follow their Counsel, let's follow their Advice. Those that do come before God, and tremble at his Word, they are the Men and Women that understand the Nature of God more than any other. He doth not say, Come let us do according to the Counsel of my Lord, and of the wise, and learned, and understanding men among us; but of those that tremble at his Word, they know the Mind of God.
And indeed, my Brethren, it is better taking counsel of them that tremble at God's Word, than of any men in the world besides. Learned men that have bold Spirits, and are licentious and wicked, they do not understand the Secrets of God so as those that tremble at the Word, there is a gracious Promise to this effect in Psal. 25.14. The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his Covenant; Those shall understand God's Secrets. Other men may understand some outward things of God; but for the Secrets of God, and the Covenant of God, onelyonly those that fear the Lord have the Promise of this.
Seventhly, Such as Fear and Tremble at God's Word may be comforted. Why? Because the Word that thou now tremblest at, is the Word …hat God will fo…e all the World to tremble at one Day. God will honour this his Word before Men and Angels: and consider, O what inconceivable Joy must that needs be to the heart of a man or woman, when God shall come to magnifie his Word before all the World; to think this is the very Word that I saw the dreadful Authority of God in before, when I lived in the world; This is the Word that I saw so much in before, and that I obeyed and honoured, and now God is come to make it good before Men and Angels, and now I see those that did not regard it, stand trembling indeed, when it will do them no good. O therefore blessed be God, that while I lived, I did tremble at the Word, that the Lord is now come to make so glorious before Men and Angels.
Be you sure that there is a time coming that the Lord will make his Word honourable before all the World: And therefore happy are those that tremble at it now in reverencing of it; Surely their Hearts will be fill'd with Comfort, when God shall come and honour it before all the World.
5. Again Fifthly. If this be such a Disposition that the Lord doth so look at; You must give me leave, my Brethren, to speak a word of Rebuke unto those that are far from such a Disposition of Heart as this is. God indeed looks to him that trembles at the Word, But where hath God objects to behold? God now looks at this great Congregation at this time, to see where there is one that trembles at his Word. But, O Lord, though we hope that God hath some objects that He doth behold, yet over how many Souls sometimes doth He look before He can see any such object. O no, It is the Word that the Angels desire to pry into; It is the Word that there are many thousand Souls in Heaven blessing the Name of God that ever they knew it, and yet thou dost not mind it, as if it were nothing worth.
A second sort are farther off than these, and they are such as take liberty to cavil against the Word, as if the Word were their equal. It is enough that you may wrangle together when you are among your equals; but know, though the man that speaks it may be your equal, yet the Word of God is above you. In Jam. 4. If thou judg the Law: thou art not a doer of the Law, but a Judg. These men come not to be Doers of the Law, but to be Judges of the Law.
Certainly, If God did but humble the Hearts of Men, they would not have so many Objections against the Truths of God that are delivered. But look how God charges them in his Word, they will be ready to charge …heir own Hearts: There is a notable Scripture for this, if you compare it with another; The first is in Job. 38.2. Who is this that darkeneth Counsel by words without knowledg: Here God speaks to Job, whose Heart was not thorowly humbled. Mark now when God had humbled him, in Chap. 42.9. Who is he that hideth Counsel without knowledg. O, as if Job should say, Who is the man? Why I am he. He speaks in a way of charging of himself, as God before did. And that's a Sign that the Heart is humbled, when the Objections against the Word do vanish: and when the Heart is ready to charge upon it self what the Word charged.
Thirdly, Those are to be rebuked that go on in a constant way of Disobedience against the Word of God, in a way of Rebellion against the Word. Thou knowest that thy waies are against that that thou hearest in the Word, and yet thou goest on, and dost c…ntinue; O bold Heart, I say, that darest presume to go on in those waies that thou knowest are against the Word of God. Why, what dost thou expect to receive no good from God's Word? Dost thou not fear any evil that there is threatned in God's Word? Is it nothing to venture the loss of all the good revealed there? And art thou willing, or wilt thou dare to lie under all the Evil that is threatned there? Is it not the Word that must save thy Soul if ever thou beest saved? I put this to you: Any of you that go on in a bold way of Sin against what you hear revealed in the Word; I put this one Question, and it is a daunting Question to such an one, Whether dost thou expect to be saved by God's Word, yea or no? Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word that is able to save your Souls. Now canst thou think to be saved by that Word, that thou goest on in a constant Rebellion against? O this is the Pride of thy heart that thou dost venture. Consider of that Scrip…re in Jerem. 13.15. Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken. So I say to such as go on in a constant way of Rebellion against the Word, Hear ye, and give ear; Do not only Hear and let pass away: Be not proud, for the Lord hath spoken. When as you hear, and will not regard what is said, but go on in a way of Rebellion against the Truth that you hear revealed, it is a Sign that your Hearts are proud: It is the Lord that hath spoken, and therefore it is fit for the Creature to yield and submit.
Fourthly, There are others that do not only go on contrary to the Word, but they do live under the very condemning Sentence of God's Word: They come and hear God's Word condemning of them for their Sin, yea and their Consciences tell them that they are the Sins that they are guilty of that God's Word doth condemn Sinners for, yet they can sit senseless, and stupid, and and hard-hearted notwithstanding, this is not to tremble at God's Word: Certainly it is more, for it is more for one Sentence of God's Word to condemn a Sinner, than if all the Angels in Heaven, and Men upon the Earth, should pronounce a Sentence of Condemnation; and yet some of you can sit day after day under the condemning Sentences of God's Word, so as if God's Word be true, thou art a condemned Soul for the present.
I make no Question but there are many that come to hear the Word, that conclude thus with their own hearts; If this be true that is spoken, I am in a woful case, I am condemned if that be true.
I remember I knew a man once, that being wild and naught with another, and yet came together to hear Sermons, he would go home and say to the other Party, Madam, If this be true that the Minister speaks, you and I are in an ill condition. So certainly, many man saith, If it be true, I am a most miserable man. I would put this to you, one by one throughout this Congregation, I put the Question now, Suppose all the Threats that are in God's Word be true, and be the Word of God indeed, and suppose that they must all be made good, What wouldest thou think of thy condition then? I make no question but many a mans Conscience would answer, Certainly my Condition would no way be rested in if this be so; But I hope things will not prove so bad.
Well then, It comes to this issue, That all the Foundation of thy Peace, and present Rest and Comfort depends upon this, That thou hopest things will not prove so bad as they are revealed In the word. Is not this the rest and Comfort of thy Soul.
And in case thou wert sure, they would prove so bad thou wouldest say thy self, I will never go on in my wicked course any more, I should never be able to sleep on night quietly: so that then if those things were true, Thou couldest not sleep: now then say I, cursed be that peace, that comfort, that sleep, that case that hath no other ground for it, but to hope God's Word is not true, I but this is all the Foundation of the Comforts of many a Mans Soul, that he lives upon all the daies of his Life: I am afraid if God should call out Men, and inquire of them what is the Foundation of all your Lives, you must be forced to say, it is Lord, out of hopes that things are not so bad as Ministers preach out of the Word: now cursed I …ay be that hope that is Grounded upon no other ground, look to thy self, thou hast a bold heart that darest venture thy Soul and Eternal Estate upon such a hope as this is, that if God's Word prove true thou art a lost and undon creature to all Eternity; thou darest venture! It is a bold venture: Oh consider of this you that can sit under the condemning power of God's Word, and yet not have your hearts struck with all, O learn this to tremble at it.
Fifthly, There is yet another sort of People that are to be rebukt from this point; and that is, those men that have their Hearts rise against God's Word, (they do not tremble at it) that is, such as when the Word of God comes home to their Consciences and strikes Fear: It is all their desire and endeavour to get it cut out of their hearts again, and they could with they had not been at the Sermon; O they are troubled at it, and get into wicked company that so they may get out the Fear of God's Word; these are far from trembling. O poor creature that thou art, how much better were it for thee to follow on that Work of God that may be for the good of thy Soul; hereafter it may be thou wilt see cause to curse thy self for thy folly: O thou wilt have cause to say, what a happy thing had it been for me if I had followed on that work of God, that God began to work upon me at such a time.
Sixthly, Again, There are another sort that rage at the Word of God, as we read of that Wicked King Jehoiakim in the 36. of Jeremiah: when the …oul was brought unto him, and read before him, he cut it with a Pen-Knife, and cast it into the fire. As once I knew one reading the Scripture against Adultery, he took it and tore out the leaves: — But mark, this Kings Fathers Heart did melt at the Reading of the Word, and his Son took a Pen-Knife and cut it, and threw it into the Fire: Now this was so great an evil, that I have read that the Jews did keep a Fast once a year to bewail this Sin of their King.
Seventhly, Again, How far are they from trembling at God's Word, that scorn at it: As when Christ himself preached against Covetousness in the 16 of Luke, those that were covetous derided him: and so as to Isa. and Paul I might show in divers Scriptures, the contempt and scorn that the People did cast upon the word delivered by them: but I will not insist there, because I will not inlarge my self. O this is likewise a most dreadful evil for any to be guilty of such a hight of Impiety; whenas the Lord expects trembling at his Word, that they should scorn it:
Eighthly, And another sort there is though not altogether so bad, they will make jests at God's Word, but take heed my Brethren of meddling with Scripture by way of jests. There are two things that Wise Men should never jest at: neither against them that are in Misery, nor Holy things: —Now when thou hast to do with God's Word, and makest jeasts out of Scripture: thou dost meddle with edge-tools: and know that it is a high degree of taking God's Name in vain, for any Man to make a jest out of Scripture. I reremember Luther hath such a Speech, if a Man would play and jest, let him jest with his Children, with his Boyes, but saith he, as soon as he comes to hear the Word, see that thou dost obey without any dispute at all; jest with other things but not with that: and so in another place saith he it is not play to hear God's Word, but saith he, when the Word comes to touch the Soul, it is as thunder which doth cast down the strongest things by its power: it is no matter of jesting to hear the Word, but matter of trembling? Why who art thou that either thou dost flight the Word, or object against the Word, or rebel'st against it, or wranglest at it? who art thou that dost dark knowledge thus? what art thou that canst raise thy Heart against the Blessed Word of God? the Word of the Lord shakes the Heavens, and the Earth, Psa. 104.32. God doth but look upon the Earth and that trembles, but God speaks to thee and thou wilt not tremble, and in the 26 Job 11. The Pillars of Heaven tremble, and are astonished at his reproof; mark the Text, If God do but reprove, the Pillars of Heaven are astonished at God's reproof, how often hath God reproved thee out of his Word, and thou hast not trembled! God reproves thee for thy Sabbath-breaking, for thy Swearing, for thy Company-keeping, for the neglect of his Worship in thy Family, God reproves thee for thy Atheism: And in the 9. of Job the 6. Which shakes the Earth out of her place, and the Pillars thereof tremble. The Pillars of Earth, and the Pillars of Heaven tremble, and who art thou that canst stand before the Word of God. — I, and holy Men they tremble when they hear the Word, Jer. 23.4. My heart within me is broken because of the Prophets, all my bones shake: I am like a Drunken Man (and like a Man whom Wine hath overcome) because of the Lord, and because of the Words of his Holiness. The Saints they tremble as Habbak. 3.16. When I heard (saith he) my belly trembled, and my Lips quivered at the Voice. Yea the very Angels in Heaven they attend with Reverence to the word of the Lord Psa. 103.20. They do God's Commandments, hearkning to the voice of his word: that is, with reverence and respect to God's Word, and as soon as ever they hear God's Word, they presently obey it: what art thou all this while? when God speaks, the Pillars of the Earth and of Heaven tremble: the Saints of God tremble; the Holy Prophets tremble. The very Angels hear God's Word with reverence, and thou all this while standest before God's Word without a heart trembling: Let me speak but these two or three things to thee.
First, Know that the Lord cannot but with Judgment look upon such an object as this is, the Lord looks from Heaven upon him that trembles at his Word with acceptation; but it is impossible for thee to confine, but that the Lord should look upon such a hard stony heart as thine is with detestation: what for a poor vile wretch that the least word of my mouth would have sent him down to the bottomless pit, when I speak he regards it not. O it is impossible that the Lord should look upon thee without destruction: and especially if thou art full of base fears. If thy Master speaks, or a Man in place and office speaks, thou art ready to fear them, but when the infinite Eternal dreadful God speaks thou dost not fear: know that the word that thou dost not fear, it is working thy destruction: and know that God will Work fear out of thy heart, and thou shalt tremble one day, as in Isa. 51.17. Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury; thou hast drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. There is a time that God hath for sinners that will not tremble at his Word, for to cause them to drink the dregs of the cup of trembling, O the dregs of it may be thy portion.
And further, when God shall force trembling, it may be God will as little regard thee in thy fears, as thou dost regard him in his Word. That place in the Prov. 1 is most dreadful; I will laugh at y…r calamity, I will mock when your Fear cometh.
I shall conclude all with a word of exhortation, let us all learn then to labour for such a blessed disposition of heart; in Hos. 13.1.5. When Ephraim spake trembling: this is spoken to the Honour of Ephraim according to some Interpretations: that when Ephraim did but speak all the People round about him trembled.
Surely it must needs be to the Honour of the great God that when he speaks all the People should tremble, the voice of the Lord it is full of Majesty, and the voice of the Lord is Glorious, and therefore it beseems us all to tremble before him: Let us lay upon our hearts the meditation of how much there is in the word, and consider of the Majesty of God that is there.
And consider thus, how God hath made his word good from time to time: the Word of God hath overwhelmed many thousand thousand Souls, and cast them upon their backs, and now they are undone for ever by the power of God's word, and therefore it is fit that I should tremble.
And intreat God, that he would shew unto thy Soul the Glory of his Name, that is in his Word: In Deut. the Lord speaks it as a curse that he will give unto the People, a trembling heart, but do thou intreat it of God as a blessing.
And do you manifest that God hath put this disposition into your hearts, by reverent attention, as we see fear doth fallen the Eye: So if Men and Womens Hearts did tremble at the Word; they would not sleep at it, but they would attend: O that the Lord would but go on, and keep your hearts in aw of his Word.
You will say indeed, if it were spoken by himself from Heaven then we would; but as it is we cannot.
Divers things I should have spoke about that: onelyonly remember that which Christ saies, he which despises you despises me: and he which despises me despises him that sent me, onelyonly that one Scripture I will give you to take away that objection that it may never more prevail, 2 Chro. cha. last ver. 12. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord. The Lord charges Zedekiah that he did evil before the Lord, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet: Why, Jeremiah was a poor mean Man, what was he to Zedekiah the King? I but yet he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord. Therefore do not say if God should speak from Heaven then we would tremble; But if we speak according to God's Word, God expects that you should humble your Souls before the great God in the Ministry of his Word that we do bring unto you.
And therefore, as you do shew by attending that you begin to see some Authority, so shew it by obeying, by Reforming of your lives and Conversations, that it may appear by your Reformation that surely the Lord hath begun to cause the authority of his Word to be wrought in your hearts.
Do ye thus tremble before it, that so the Word being Honoured, by it your Souls may be comforted and Everlastingly Sav'd.