ground of damnation it is evident thou oughtest not because the ground the cause is removed Object But since I was sealed to the day of redemption I have grievously sinned against God have not I therefore cause to fear as before may not therefore the spirit of bondage be sent again to put me in fear as at first sin was the first cause and I have sinned now Answ. No by no means for we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear That is God hath not given it us for God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7 If therefore our first fears come upon us again after that we have received at Gods hands the spirit of love of power and of a sound mind it is to be refused though we have grievously sinned against our God This is manifest from 1 Sam. 12. Fear not ye have done all this wickedness That is not with that fear which would have made them fly from God as concluding that they were not now his people And the reason is because sin cannot dissolve the covenant into which the Sons of God by his grace is taken If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgments if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments then will I visit their transgressions with a rod and their iniquities with stripes nevertheless my loving-kindness I will not utterly take away from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail Psal. 89.30 33. Now if sin doth not dissolve the covenant if sin doth not cast me out of this covenant which is made personally with the Son of God and into the hands of which by the grace of God I am put then ought I not though I have sinned to fear with my first fears 2. Sin after that the spirit of adoption is come cannot dissolve the relation of Father and Son of Father and child And this the Church did rightly assert and that when her heart was under great hardness and when she had the guilt of erring from his waies saith she Doubtless thou art our Father Doubtless thou art though this be our case and though Israel should not acknowledge us for such Isa. 63.16 17. That sin dissolveth not the relation of Father and Son is further evident see Gal. 4.4 When the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Father Father Now mark wherefore thou art no more a Servant that is no more under the Law of death and damnation but a Son and if a Son then an heir of God through Christ. Suppose a child doth grevously transgress against and offend his Father is the relation between them therefore dissolved Again suppose the Father should scourge and chasten the Son for such offence is the relation between them therefore dissolved Yea suppose the child should now through ignonorance cry and say this man is now no more my father is he therefore now no more his Father doth not every body see the folly of arguings why of the same nature is that doctrine that saith that after we have received the spirit of adoption that the spirit of bondage is sent to us again to put us in fear of eternal damnation Know then that thy sin after thou hast received the spirit of adoption to cry unto God Father Father is counted the transgression of a child not of a slave and that all that happeneth to thee for that transgression is but the chastizement of a Father And what Son as he whom the father chasteneth not It is worth your observation That the Holy Ghost checks those who under their chastizements for sin forgot to call God their Father You have saith Paul forgotten the Exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto Children my Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Yea observe yet further that Gods chastizing of his children for their sin is a sign of grace and love and not of his wrath and thy damnation therefore NOW there is no ground for the aforesaid fear For whom the Lord loveth he chastizeth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Heb. 12. Now if God would not have those that have received the spirit of the Son however he chastises them to forget the relation that by the adoption of Sons they stand in to God if he cheks them that do forget it when his rod is upon their backs for sin then it is evident that those fears that thou hast under a colour of the coming again of the spirit as a spirit of bondage to put thee in fear of eternal damnation is nothing else but Satan disguised the better to play his pranks upon thee I will yet give you two or three instances more wherein it will be manifest that what ever happeneth to thee I mean as a chastizement for sin after the spirit of adoption is come thou oughtest to hold fast by faith the relation of Father and Son 1. The people spoken of by Moses are said to have lightly esteemed the rock of their salvation which rock is Jesus Christ and that is a grievous sin indeed yet saith he Is not God thy Father that hath bought thee and then puts them upon considering the daies of old Deut. 32.6 2. They in the Prophet Jeremiah had played the harlot with many lovers and done evil things as they could and as another Scripture hath it gone a whoring from under their God yet God calls to them by the Prophet saying Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me my Father thou art the God of my youth Jer. 3.1 7. 3. Remember also that eminent text made mention of in 1 Sam. 12. Fear not ye have done all this wickedness and labour to maintain faith in thy soul of thy being a child it being true that thou hast received the spirit of adoption before and so that thou oughtest not to fall under thy first fears because the ground is taken away of thy eternal damnation Now let not any from what hath been said take courage to live loose lives under a supposition that once in Christ and ever in Christ and the covenant cannot be broken nor the relation of Father and Child dissolved for they that do so 't is evident have not known what 't is to receive the spirit of adoption It is the Spirit of the Devil in his own hue that suggesteth this unto them and that prevaileth with them to do so shall we do evil that good may come shall we sin that grace may abound or shall we be base in life because God by grace hath secured us from wrath to come God forbid these conclusions betoken one void of the fear of God
be done by us with reverence and godly fear And therefore let us as Paul saith again Cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Hebr. 12. 2 Cor. 7.1 That which makes the worship of God so fearful a thing is 1. For that it is the worship of GOD all manner of service carries more or less dread and fear along with it according as the quality or condition of the person is to whom the worship and service is done This is seen in the service of subjects to their Princes the service of servants to their Lords and the service of chlldren to their Parents Divine Worship then being due to God for it is now of Divine Worship we speak and this God so great and dreadful in himself and Name his Worship must therefore be a fearful thing 2. Besides this glorious Majesty is himself present to behold his Worshippers in their woshiping him When two or three of you are gathered together in my Name I am there That is gathered together to worship him I am there saies he And so again he is said to walk in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. that is in the Churches and that with a countenance like the Sun with a head and hair as white as Snow and with eyes like a flame of fire This puts dread and fear into his service and therefore his servants should serve him with fear 3. Above all things God is jealous of his worship and service In all the ten words he telleth us not any thing of his being a jealous God but in the second which respecteth his worship Exod. 20. Look to your selves therefore both as to the matter and manner of your worship For I the Lord your God saies he am a jealous God visiting the sins of the Fathers upon the Children This therefore doth also put dread and fear into the woship and service of God 4. The Judgments that sometimes God hath executed upon men for their want of godly fear while they have been in his worship and service put fear and dread upon his holy appointments 1. Nadab and Abihu was burned to death with fire from Heaven because they attempted to offer false fire upon God's Altar Levit. 10.1 2 3. And the reason rendred why they were so served was because God will be sanctified in them that come nigh him To sanctifie his Name is to let him be thy dread and thy fear and to do nothing in his worship but what is well-pleasing to him But because these men had not grace to do this therefore they died before the Lord. 2. Ely's Sons for want of this fear when they ministred in the holy worship of God were both slain in one day by the sword of the uncircumcised Philistines See 1 Sam. 2. 3. Vzza was smitten and died before the Lord for but an unadvised touching the Ark when the men forsook it 1 Chron. 13.9 10. 4. Ananias and Saphira his Wife for telling of a lye in the Church when they were before God were both stricken dead upon the place before them all because they wanted the fear and dread of God's Majesty Name and Service when they came before him Acts 5. This therefore should teach us to conclude that next to God's Nature and Name his Service his instituted Worship is the most dreadful thing under Heaven His Name is upon his Ordinances his eye is upon the Worshippers and his wrath and judgment upon those that worship not in his fear For this cause some of those at Corinth were by God himself cut off 1 Cor. 11.27 28 29 30 31 32. and to others he has given the back and will again be with them no more This also rebuketh three sorts of people 1. Such as regard not to worship God at all be sure they have no reverence of his Service nor fear of his Majesty before their eyes Sinner thou dost not come before the Lord to worship him thou dost not bow before the High God thou neither worshipest him in thy closet nor in the Congregation of Saints The fury of the Lord and his indignation must in short time be poured out upon thee and upon the families that call not upon his Name Psal. 79.6 Jer. 10.25 2. This rebukes such as count it enough to present their body in the place where God is woshiped not minding with what heart or with what spirit they come thither Some come into the worship of God to sleep there some come thither to meet with their chapmen and to get into the wicked fellowship of their vain companions Some come thither to feed their lustful and adulterous eyes with the flattering beauty of their fellow-sinners O what a sad account will these worshipers give when they shall count for all this and be damned for it because they come not to worship the Lord with that fear of his Name that became them to come in when they presented themselves before him 3. This also rebukes those that care not so they worship how they worship how where or after what manner they worship God Those I mean whose fear towards God is taught by the precepts of men They are hypocrites their worship also is vain and a stink in the nostrils of God Wherefore the Lord said forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but have removed their heart far from me and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men Therefore behold I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people even a mavelous work and a wonder For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid Isa. 29.13 14. Mat. 15.7 8 9. Mark 7.6 7. Thus I conclude this first thing namely that God is called our dread and fear I shall now come to the second thing to wit to the Rule and Director of our Fear 2. Of this word FEAR as it is taken for the Word of God But again this word Fear is sometimes to be taken for the Word the written Word of God for that also is and ought to be the Rule and Director of our Fear So David calls it in the 19th Psalm The fear of the Lord saith he is clean enduring for ever The FEAR of the Lord that is the Word of the Lord the written Word for that which he calleth in this place the Fear of the Lord even in the same place he calleth the Law Statutes Commandments and Judgments of God The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul The Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart The Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes The fear of the Lord is clean induring for ever The Judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether All these words have respect to the same thing to wit to the
have our fear of God guided and directed for by them we are taught how to please him in every thing 3. It is to be called a fearful word because of the truth and faithfulness of it The Scriptures cannot be broken Hear they are called the Scripturs of truth the true sayings of God and also the fear of the Lord for that every jot and tittle thereof is for ever settled in Heaven and stands more stedfast than doth the world Heaven and Earth said Christ shall pass away but my word shall not pass away Matth. 24. Those therefore that are favoured by the Word of God those are favoured indeed and that with the favour that no man can turn away but those that by the word of the Scriptures are condemned those can no man justifie and set quit in the sight of God Therefore what is bound by the text is bound and what is released by the text is released also the bond and release is unalterable Dan. 10.21 Revel 19.9 Matth. 24.35 Psal. 119.89 Joh. 10.35 This therefore calleth upon Gods people to stand more in fear of the Word of God than of all the terrours of the World There wanteth even in the hearts of Gods people a greater reverence of the Word of God than to this day appeareth amongst us and this let me say that want of reverence of the word is the ground of all disorders that are in the heart life conversation and in Christian Communion Besides The want of reverence of the word layeth men open to the fearful displeasure of God Who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the word shall be rewarded Prov. 13.13 All transgression beginneth at wandring from the word of God but on the other side David saith Concerning the works of men by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer Psal. 17.4 Therefore Solomon saith My Son attend to my words eneline thine ear unto my sayings let them not depart from thine eyes keep them in the midst of thy heart for they are life to them that find them and health to all their flesh Prov. 4.20 21. Now if indeed thou wouldest reverence the Word of the Lord and make it thy Rule and Director in all things Believe that the Word is the Fear of the Lord the Word that standeth fast for ever without and against which God will do nothing either in saving or damning of the souls of sinners But to conclude this 1. Know that those that have not due regard to the Word of the Lord and that make it not their dread and their fear but the Rule of their life is the lusts of their flesh the desire of their eyes and the pride of life are sorely rebuked by this Doctrine and are counted the fools of the world For Lo they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what wisdom is in them Jer. 8.9 That there are such a people is evident not only by their irregular lives but by the manifest testimony of the Word As for the Word of the Lord said they to Jeremiah which thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee but will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouth Jer. 44.16 Was this only the temper of wicked men then is not the same spirit of rebellion amongst us in our daies doubtless there is for there is no new thing The thing that hath been is that that shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun Eccles. 1.9 Therefore as it was then so it is with many in this day As for the Word of the Lord it is nothing at all to them their lusts and whatsoever proceedeth out of their own mouths that they will do that they will follow Now such will certainly perish in their own rebellion for this is as the sin of witchcraft it was the sin of Corah and his company and that which brought upon them such heavy judgments yea and they are made a sign that thou shouldest not do as they for they perished because they rejected the Word the Fear of the Lord from among the Congregation of the Lord and they became a sign The Word which thou despisest still abideth to denounce its woe and judgment upon thee and unless God will save such with the breath of his Word and 't is hard trusting to that they must never see his face with comfort 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Numb 26.9 10. 2. Are the words of God called by the name of the Fear of the Lord Are they so dreadful in their receipt and sentence then this rebukes them that esteem the words and things of men more than the words of God as those do who are drawn from their respect of and obedience to the Word of God by the pleasures or threats of men Some there be who verily will acknowledge the authority of the Word yet will not stoop their souls thereto such whatever they think of themselves are judged by Christ to be ashamed of the Word wherefore their state is damnable as the other Whosoever saith he shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this sinful and adulterous Nation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of the Father with the holy Angels Mark 8.38 3. And if these things be so what will become of those that mock at and professedly contemn the words of God making them as a thing ridiculous and not to be regarded shall they prosper that do such things from the promises it is concluded that their judgment now of a long time slumbreth not and when it comes it will devour them without remedy 2 Cor. 36.15 If God I say hath put that reverence upon his Word as to call it The Fear of the Lord what will become of them that do what they can to overthrow its authority by denying it to be his Word and by raising cavils against its authority such stumble indeed at the Word being appointed thereunto but it shall judge them in the last day 1 Pet. 2.8 John 12.48 But thus much for this Having thus spoken of the Object and Rule of our Fear I should come now to speak of FEAR as it is a grace of the Spirit of God in the hearts of his people but before I do that I shall shew you that there are divers sorts of fear besides For man being a resonable creature and having even by nature a certain knowledge of God hath also naturally something of some kind of fear of God at times which although it be not that which is intended in the text yet ought to be spoken to that that which is not right may be distinguished from that that is Of several sorts of fear of God in the heart of the Children of men There is I say several sorts or kinds of fear in the hearts of the
ministration as to this particular in leaving off to work now by the Law as afore and comming to the soul with the sweet word of promise of life and salvation by Jesus Christ. Thus far this fear is godly that is until Christ by the spirit in the Gospel is revealed and made over unto us and no longer Thus far this fear is godly and the reason why it is godly is because the ground-work of it is good I told you before what this fear is namely It is the fear of damnation Now the ground for this fear is good as is manifest by these particulars 1. The soul feareth damnation and that rightly because it is in its sins 2. The soul feareth damnation rightly because it hath not faith in Christ but is at present under the Law 3. The soul feareth damnation rightly now because by sin the Law and for want of faith the wrath of God abideth on it But now although thus far this fear of God is good and godly yet after Christ by the Spirit in the word of the Gospel is revealed to us and we made to accept of him as so revealed and offered to us by a true and living faith this fear to wit of damnation is no longer good but ungodly Nor doth the Spirit of God ever work it in us again Now we do not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear that is to say to fear damnation but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry father father But I would not be mistaken when I say that this fear is no longer godly I do not mean with reference to the essence and habit of it for I believe it is the same in the feed which shall afterwards grow up to an higher degree and into a more sweet and gospel currant and manner of working but I mean refference to this act of searing damnation I say it shall never by the spirit be managed to that work it shall never bring forth that fruit more And my reasons are 1. Because that the soul by closing through the promise by the spirit with Jesus Christ is removed off of that foundation upon which it stood when it justly feared damnation It hath received NOW forgiveness of sin it is now no more under the law but in Jesus Christ by faith therefore there is now NO condemnation toit Act. 26.18 Rom. 6.14 chap. 8.1 The ground-work therefore being now taken away the spirit worketh that fear no more 2. He cannot after he hath come to the soul as a spirit of adoption come again as a spirit of bondage to put the soul in t his first fear to wit a fear of eternal damnation because he cannot say and unsay do and undo As a spirit of adoption he told me that my sins were forgiven me that I was included in the covenant of grace that God was my Father through Christ that I was under the promise of salvation and that this calling and gift of God to me is permanent and without repentance And do you think that after he hath told me this and sealed up the truth of it to my precious soul that he will come to me and tell me that I am yet in my sins under the curse of the Law and the eternal wrath of God No no the word of the Gospel is not yea yea nay nay It is only yea and amen it is so as God is true 2 Cor. 1.17 18 19 20. 3. The state therefore of the sinner being changed and that too by the spirits changing his dispensation leaving off to be now as a spirit of bondage to put us in fear and coming to our heart as the spirit of adoption to make us cry father father he cannot go back to his first workagain for if so then he must gratify yea and also ratifiy that profane and Popish doctrine forgiven to day unforgiven to morrow a child of God to day a child of Hell to morrow but what saith the Scriptures Now therefore such are no more strangers and foreiners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Christ Jesus himself being the chief Corner-stone In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord in whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit Ephes. 2. Object But this is contrary to my experience Why Christian what is thy experience Why I was at first as you have said possessed with the fear of damnation and so under the power of the spirit of bondage Well said and how was it then Why after some time of continuance in these fears I had the spirit of adoption sent to me to seal up to my soul the forgiveness of sins and so he did and was also helped by the same spirit as you have said to call God Father Father Well said and what after that Why after that I fell into as great fears as ever I was in before Ans. All this may be granted and yet nevertheless what I have said will abide a truth for I have not said that after the spirit of adoption is come a Christian shall not again be in as great fears for he may have worse than he had at first but I say that after the spirit of adoption is come the spirit of bondage as such is sent of God no more to put us into those fears For mark for we have not received the spirit of bondage AGAIN to fear Let the Word be true whatever thy experience is Dost thou not understand me After the Spirit of God has told me and also helped me to believe it that the Lord for Christ's sake hath forgiven mine iniquities he tells me no more that they are not forgiven After the Spirit of God has helped me by Christ to call God my Father he tells me no more that the Devil is my Father After he hath told me that I am not under the Law but under grace he tells me no more that I am not under grace but under the Law and bound over by it for my sins to the wrath and judgment of God But this is the fear that the Spirit as a spirit of bondage worketh in the soul at first Quest. Can you give me further reason yet to convict me of the truth of what you say Answ. Yes 1. Because as the Spirit cannot give himself the lie so he cannot overthrow his own order of working nor yet contradict that testimony that his servants by his inspiration hath given of his order of working with them But he must do the first If he saith to us and that after we have received his own testimony that we are under grace that yet we are under sin the Law and wrath And he must do the second if after he hath gone through the first work on us as a spirit of bondage to the second as a spirit of adoption he
hazzard and reproach of all the mighty people Psal. 119.151 Psal. 89.50 5. How tender of the glory of God was Ely Daniel and the three Children in their day 1. Ely died with fear and trembling of heart when he heard that the Ark of God was taken 1 Sam. 4.13 14 15 16 17 18. 2. Daniel ran the danger of the Lions mouths for the tender love that he had to the word and worship of God Dan. 6.10.16 3. The three children ran the hazzard of a burning fiery Furnace rather than they would dare to dishonour the way of their God Dan. 3.13 16 20. This therefore is one of the fruits of this godly fear to wit a reverence of his name and tenderness of his glory Secondly There flows from this godly fear watchfulness As it is said of Solomons Servants they watched about his bed because of fear in the night So it may be said of them that have this godly fear It makes them a watchful people 1. It makes them watch their hearts and take heed to keep them with all diligence lest they should by one or another of its sleights lead them to do that which in it self is wicked Prov. 4.23 Heb. 12.15 2. It makes them watch lest some temptation from Hell should enter into their heart to the destroying of them 1 Pet. 5.8 3. It makes them watch their mouths and keep them also at sometimes as with a bitt and bridle that they offend not with their tongue knowing that the tongue is apt being an evil member soon to catch the fire of hell to the defiling of the whole body Jam. 3.2 3 4 5 6 7. 4. It makes them watch over their ways look well to their goings and to make strait steps for their feet Psal. 39.1 Heb. 12.13 Thus this godly fear puts the soul upon its watch lest from the heart within or from the Devil without or from the world or some other temptation something should surprize and overtake the child of God to defile him or to cause him to defile the waies of God and so offend the Saints open the mouths of men and cause the enemy to speak reproachfully of religion Thirdly There flows from this FEAR a holy provocation to a reverential converse with Saints in their religious and godly assemblies for their further progress in the faith and way of holiness Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Spake that is of God and his holy and glorious name kingdom and works for their mutual edification a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name Mal. 3.16 The fear of the Lord in the heart provoketh to this in all its acts not only of necessity but of nature It is the natural effect of this godly fear to exercise the Church in the contemplation of God together and apart All fear good and bad hath a natural propenseness in it to incline the heart to contemplate upon the object of fear and though a man should labour to take off his thoughts from the object of his fear whether that object was Men Hell Devils c. yet do what he could the next time his fear had any act in it it would return again to its object And so it is with godly fear that will make a make a man speak of and think upon the name of God reverentially Psal 89 7. Yea and exercise himself in the holy thoughts of him in such sort that his soul shall be sanctified and seasoned with such Meditations Indeed holy thoughts of God such as you see this fear doth exercise the heart withal prepare the heart to and for God This fear therefore it is that David prayed for for the people when he said O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their heart unto thee 1 Chron. 29.18 Fourthly There flows from this Fear of God great reverence of his Majesty in and under the use and enjoyment of God's holy Ordinances His Ordinances are his Courts and Palaces his Walks and Places where he giveth his presence to those that wait upon him in them in the fear of his name And this is the meaning of that of the Apostle Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judah and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied Act. 9.31 And walking that word intendeth their use of the ordinances of God They walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless This in Old Testament Language is called treading Gods Courts and walking in his Paths This saith the Text they did here in the fear of God That is in a great reverence of that God whose Ordinances they were You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord Levit. 19.30 Chap. 26.2 It is one thing to be conversant in Gods ordinances and another to be conversant in them with a due reverence of the Majesty and name of that God whose Ordinances they are it is common for men to do the first but none can do the last without this fear In thy fear said David will I worship Psal. 5.7 It is this fear of God therefore from whence doth flow that great reverence that his Saints have in them of his Majesty in and under the use and injoyment of Gods holy ordinances and consequently that makes our service in the performance of them acceptable to God through Christ. Heb. 12. last For God expects that we serve him with fear and trembling and it is odious among men for a man in the presence or about the service of his Prince to behave himself lightly and without due reverence of that Majesty in whose presence and about whose business he is And if so how can their service to God have any thing like acceptation from the hand of God that is done not in but without the fear of God this service must needs be an abomination to him and these servers must come off with rebuke Fifthly There flows from this godly fear of God Selfdenial That is an holy abstaining from those things that are either unlawful or inexpedient According to that of Nehemiah The former governours that had been before me were chargeable unto the people and had taken of them Bread and Wine besides forty Shekels of Silver yea even their Servants bear rule over the people but so did not I because of the fear of God Nehe. 5.15 Here now was Selfdenial he would not do as they did that went before him neither himself nor should his Servants but what what was it that put him upon these acts of Self-denial The answer is The fear of God But so did not I because of the fear of God Now whether by the fear of God in this place be meant his word or the
that fear him Here is not only pity but the pity of a relation a Father 'T is said in another place Can a woman a mother forget her sucking child that shee should not have compassion on the Son of her womb yea she may yet will not I forget thee The pity of neighbors and acquaintance helpeth in times of distress but the pity of a Father and a mother is pity with an over and above The Lord saies James is very pitiful and of tender mercy Pharaoh called Joseph his tender Father because he provided for him against the famine but how tender a Father is God how full of bowels how full of pity Jam. 5.11 Gen. 41.43 marg 'T is said that when Ephraim was afflicted Gods bowels were troubled for him and turned within him towards him O that the man that feareth the Lord did but believe the pity and bowels that are in the heart of God and his Father towards him Jer. 31.18 19 20. Tenthly Dost thou fear God He will fill the desire of them that fear him he will hear their cry and will save them Psal. 145.9 Almost all those places that make mention of the men that fear God do insinuate as if they still were under affliction or in danger by reason of an enemy But I say here is still their priviledge their God is their Father and pities them He will fâ—lfil the desire of them that fear him Where now is the man that feareth the Lord let him harken to this What saist thou poor soul will this content thee the Lord will fulfil thy desires It is intimated of Adonijah that David his Father did let him have his head and his will in all things His Father saies the text had not displeased him at any time in so much as saying why hast thou done so 1 King 1.6 But here is more here is a promise to grant thee the whole desire of thy heart according to the prayer of holy David The Lord grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy counsel And again The Lord fulfill all thy petitions Psal. 20. O thou that fearest the Lord what is thy desire All my desires says David is all my salvation 2 Sam. 23.5 so saiest thou All my salvation is all my desire Well the desire of thy soul is granted thee yea God himself hath engaged himself even to fulfill this thy desire He will fulfill the desires of them that fear him he will hear their cry and will save them O this desire when it cometh what a Tree of life will it be to thee Thou desirest to be rid of thy present trouble the Lord shall rid thee out of trouble Thou desirest to be delivered from temptation the Lord shall deliver thee out of temptation Thou desirest to be delivered from thy Body of death and the Lord shall change this thy vile Body that it may be like to his glorious Body Thou desirest to be in the presence of God and among the Angels in Heaven This thy desire also shall be fulfiled and thou shall be made equall to the Angels Exod. 6.6 2 Pet. 2.9 Phil. 3.20.21 Luk. 16.22 chap. 26.35 36. Oh! but it is long first Well learn first to live upon thy portion in the promise of it and that will make thy expectation of it sweet God WILL fulfill thy desires God WILL do it though it tarry long wait for it because it will SVRELY come it will not tarry Eleventhly Dost thou fear God The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him Psal. 147.11.12 They that fear God are among his chief delights He delights in his Son he delights in his works and takes pleasure in them that fear him As a man takes pleasure in his Wife in his Children in his Gold in his Jewels So the man that fears the Lord is the object of his delight He takes pleasure in their prosperity Psal. 35.27 and therefore sendeth them health from the Sanctuary and makes them drink of the River of his pleasures They shall be abundantly satisfied with the Fatness of thy House and thou shalt make them drink of the River of thy pleasures Psal. 36.8 2. That or those that we take pleasure in that or those we love to beautifie and adorn with many ornaments We count no cost too much to be bestowed on those in whom we place our delight and whom we make the object of our pleasure And even thus it is with God For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people and what follows he will beautify the meek with Salvation Psal. 149.4 3. Those in whom we delight we take pleasure in their actions yea we teach them and give them such rules and laws to walk by as may yet make them that we love more pleasurable in our eyes Therefore they that fear God since they are the object of his pleasure are taught to know how to please him in every thing 1 Thes. 4.1 And hence it is said that he is ravished with their looks that he delighteth in their cry and that he is pleased with their walking Solomons Song Ch. 4 9. Prov. 15.8 Ch. 11. v. 20. 4. Those in whom we delight and take pleasure many things we will bear and put up that they do though they be not according to our minds A man will suffer that in and put up that at the hand of the Child or Wife of his pleasure that he will not pass by nor put up in another They are my Jewels saies God even them that fear me and I will spare them in all their comings short of my will even as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him Matt. 3.16 17. On how happy is the man that feareth God! His good thoughts his good attempts to serve him and his good life pleases him because the feareth God You know how pleasing in our eyes the actions of our Children are when we know that they do what they do even of a reverent fear and aw of us yea though that which they do amounts but to little we take it well at their hands and are pleased therewith The woman that cast in her two mites into the Treasury cast in not much for they both did but make one farthing Mark 12.40 41 42 43. Yet how doth the Lord Jesus trumpet her up he had pleasure in her and in her action This therefore that the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him is another of their great priviledges Twelfthly Dost thou fear God The least dram of that fear giveth the priviledg to be blessed with the biggest Saint He will bless them that fear the Lord SMALL GREAT Psal. 115.13 This word SMALL may be taken three waies 1. For those that are small in esteem for those that are but little accounted of Judg. 6.15 1 Sam. 18.23 Art thou small or little in this sence yet if thou fearest God thou art sure to be blessed He shall bless them that fear him small and great be thou never so