11. True Zeal is for expedition in God's Service As Phinehas Ignis est maxime actuosus maximè mobilis who was zealous for God could not sit still when he saw God so greatly Dishonoured Psal 106. Then stood up Phinehas and executed Judgment Then stood up Phinehas The word may import his readiness and forwardness to appear for God against Sin as occasion was then offered So Nehemiah testified against the Merchants that had lodged but once or twice without Jerusalem under the Wall on the Sabbath threatning to clap them up If they did so again he would lay hands on them Neh. 13.20 21. So David Psal 101.8 I will early destroy all the wicked Though it may point at the usual time of sitting in Judgment in the morning yet withal it may import that he would not be delatory in the work Thus Zeal will set Men early on work for God will make Men quick and speedy in giving check to Sin as they have power and opportunity to put a stop to it as soon as they can Sinful sluggish demurs delays put-offs are contrary to the nature of true Zeal So a listlesness to Duty is no sign of Zeal It is cold that benummeth So it is a sign of the want of Zeal a sign of extream coldness when we cannot find our hands to turn them to any good work when we are like the slothful Prov. 19.24 that hides his hand in his bosom 12. True Zeal makes souls as forward unto so free and lively in God's service What a Man does zealously he does very heartily To be zealous of good Works is not barely to do some good Works but it further implieth earnestness alacrity and fervency of spirit in the doing of Good Works To pray with Zeal is more than saying a Prayer it is no less than to be fervent in Prayer to pray earnestly To be zealous in works of Charity is not meerly to give to such that stand in need but to give willingly and freely Like those of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8.3 that were willing of themselves That needed no spurring on What the Apostle sayes of Love 1 Cor. 13.4 It is kind bountiful this may well be said of Zeal which is the fervour of Love Zeal is bountiful at least in will and desire Cold has a condensing and contracting quality but heat rarifies and extends So Zeal in the Heart enlarges it A zealous Christian would not serve God at an ordinary rate he desires to abound in the work of the Lord. The flame will be mounting upwards A zealous spirit is a raised spirit raised in God's Service But a cold dead heart is still bearing downward We read of Jehoshaphat that his heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord 2 Chron. 17.6 So one of a zealous spirit never thinks he does enough for God He will desire still to serve him more and to serve him better 13. True Zeal gives courage in the Cause of God filleth the Soul full of resolution for God And indeed that may be the meaning of Jehoshaphat's heart being lifted up in the wayes of the Lord. A zealous Spirit is a magnanimous Spirit An holy Zeal is indeed Cos fortitudinis the Whetstone of Valour As Esther's Zeal for God and his People put courage into her though she might naturally be timorous as is common to her Sex What an heroick resolution was there Esth 4.16 I will go in unto the King and if I perish I perish If we have no Spirit no Courage to appear for God his Truth and Wayes sure we have no Zeal forthem Indeed of all things Sinners are most offended at holy Zeal They that have nothing to say against Christian Meekness or Charitableness and some other Graces yet can ill endure the heat of Godly Zeal O it is scorching and tormenting to them Here they are ready to cry out Fire fire as one says This oft puts them into a great combustion Yet true Zeal will break thorow opposition Many Waters cannot quench Love neither can the Floods drown it The like may be said of Zeal It is not quenched or cooled but oft more intended and increased when others would discourage it 14. True Zeal that is a cause of such courage and resolution for God that giveth confidence and boldness before Men yet is joyned with Humility and Holy Fear and Trembling before God One gracious disposition is not contrary to another And true Zeal is not blown up with high thoughts of ones self but with high thoughts of God The Dread and Reverence of the most High of an infinitely Glorious and Holy Majesty promotes true Zeal for God helpeth to set an edge upon it and steeleth the Soul with an holy boldness hardeneth it against a base carnal fear of Man Mr. Vines But it is not right when as one says Zeal that should eat us up is eaten up of Pride 15. Right regular Zeal will more dispose and fit us for our Work and Duty not take off from Duty or transport into Sin That is not Zeal but distempered Passion it is not from Grace but from the workings of Corruption when we are discomposed and unhinged 16. If we have true Zeal for God it will be a joy to us to see any zealous and active for God As on the other hand it will be our great grief to see Men generally cold indifferent lukewarm in Religion To see others regardless of God and of the interest of true Religion will move our displeasure and indignation But it will not offend us to see any acted with regular Zeal for God Indeed the Apostle did and would rejoyce that Christ was Preached though some preached Christ out of envy Phil. 1.15 18. How much more would he have rejoyced to have seen as good proof and evidence of their pure Love and Zeal as he saw of their Envy carrying them out in the work If we are truly zealous for God we shall be taken with those whom we see or hear to be zealous for him our hearts will be towards such yea knit to them as Jonathans was to David And we shall bless God for such As Deborah Judg. 5.9 My heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the People Bless the Lord. She desired that the Lord might be praised that put such a spirit into them If others out-shine us here yet if we have true Zeal for God we shall be so far from envying them that the more zealous any are the more we shall honour and be taken with them 17. If we are truly zealous we have an holy emulation a desire to follow yea if it might be to outstrip those that excel in vertue As the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14.12 Forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts seek that ye may excel As the Corinthians Zeal and forwardness provoked very many 2 Cor 9.2 We should not envy such as have got the start of us and yet should in a good
sense emulate them We should strive at least to overtake those that are foremost Yea true Zeal for God and Godliness will not set it self any bounds or limits You cannot call them zealous that stint themselves and count it an high point of prudence and discretion not to be too forward in Religion But as Love so Zeal is like Fire that cannot be hid it will break forth Quis enim celaverit ignem Lumine qui semper proditur ipse suo Such as are afraid of being counted zealous as if it was a matter of disgrace are far from such a spirit as David had who when he was mocked and despised of Michal spake resolvedly I will yet be more vile than thus if this be to be vile Fire is one of those things which say not It is enough Prov. 30.16 So true Zeal never says It is enough A zealous Christian would have more Grace more Zeal for God They that are zealous of good works desire to abound more and more in good works 18. True Zeal is not for a spurt for a flash it is constant a Fire that never goes out Like that Fire upon the Altar Lev. 6.13 Though I must grant the Zeal of a true Christian doth not flame up at all times alike yet it is never totally extinguished It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing Gal. 4.18 And this is a good sign thy Zeal is right if it be constant There are some whose Zeal is but a flash scarce any sooner in than out again Some have a burning fit of Zeal for a while that is quickly over Their praeter-natural heat stays not But true Zeal is like the natural heat of the Body that continues as long as one lives Yea though it is like Fire in green wood subject to go out if it be not blown up yet that Spirit which first kindled this spark in Believers is given to dwell in them and to abide with them for ever And therefore though there may be some decays of Holy Zeal for a time yet it is stirred up again in the Faithful and usually burneth clearer after it is recovered As we sometimes see Fire blaze up more after a dash of water cast on it Yea ordinarily as we may observe a flame mount highest before it goes out ordinarily I say a Christians Zeal is most raised the nearer he is to his end But such as once seemed very forward for that which is good but are quite fallen off again have quite out-lived their Zeal they even give others cause enough to suspect that they were never sound OF A Lively Hope ROM 12.12 Rejoycing in Hope TO go on to the Trial of all other Christian Vertues might upon some accounts cross my design in what is Written which is to help and direct ordinary Christians in the Trial and exercise of Grace even such as cannot purchase or have not time to peruse large Volums I have spoken of the chief Cardinal Graces and shewed how they work how they may be known Prove these in your selves and there is no question but you have the whole Train of those better things that necessarily accompany Salvation As without these any other Vertues you may seem to have as Temperance Patience Meekness c. are but Shadows and Counterfeits So that I might make a Full-stop at what is Written Yet because many are kept off from any serious examination of their Estates satisfying themselves with this That they have Hopes and some That they have Joys too never enquiring How they came by them or of what kind they are Therefore before I conclude this Treatise I shall shew you how you may know whether your Hope and Joy be sound or no. And first of Hope But let me premise these Three Things 1. It is unquestionable that there is a false a deceiving Hope as well as a true and certain Hope There is a dead Hope as well as a lively Hope There is a confounding Hope as well as an Hope that maketh not ashamed There is the Hope of the Hypocrite Job 8.13 as well as the Hope of the Righteous Prov. 10.28 2. Better no Hopes than false Hopes As we may allude to that Prov. 26.12 Seest thou a Man wise in his own conceit There is more hope of a Fool than of him So there is more Hope of Sinners that are most despondent in one sense without Hope than of such as are very confident high in their Hopes but without any ground And how sad is it as I remember one says to sail on smoothly to Hell having Heaven all the while in view Hope that is like to end in horrour and utter desperation is not worth having 3. It is justly to be suspected that their Hopes are groundless and false who are unwilling to bring them to the Test and Trial. That part of a Man's Body which he could not endure to have touched we would conclude not right or sound But if your Hope be right it would not suffer any injury or damage by a fair impartial Trial but be more confirmed Now if you ask What is Christian Hope I answer It is a longing and fiducial expectation of Good promised to come in God's Time and Way Faith and Hope are very near akin Yet thus they differ 1. In Order Faith in order of nature is before Hope Hope is the Daughter at least the youngest Sister of Faith 2. In the Object Faith has respect to the whole Word of God Hope to the Word of Promise Good only is the object of Hope And Future Good Quod speratur non possidetur good to be received and enjoyed Rom. 8.24 Or if I may be said to hope that I am in a state of Grace that my Sins are pardoned which is hope of a present Good if my Hope be sound or if I say I hope God heard my prayer at such a time and gave in such a Mercy in answer to it here seems to be Hope of a thing past Here the word Hope seems to be used more improperly or taken more largely It is more properly a Perswasion though short of full Perswasion or Assurance But properly Hope looks at Good to come Whereas what is past may be the object of Faith as well as what is to come As we believe the Creation of the World a thing past as well as the Resurrection of the Body which is future 3. In their proper formal Acts. Faith apprehends and assents to the truth of the Promises Hope expects and looks for the Good promised An expectation of Good is the formal Act of Hope And herein also it is differenced from or contrary to Fear which is an expectation of Evil not of Good But that which I mainly intend is to shew wherein sound Hope differs from Presumption or from a false Hope Or how we may know whether our Hope be sound 1. True hope is not ordinarily obtained but after sad doubts and fears As it is Hos
had rather be from under Christs Yoak set free from his Laws might it be at your choice and after your minds than live in Obedience and Subjection to him if it be thus it is a clear case your Faith is unsound you do not yet consent to the terms of the Gospel or consent but partially You have often heard what a rich and great Match Christ is and how willing he is to bestow Himself with all his Riches unsearchable Riches upon the Children of Men and hereupon 't is likely you wish to have the Estate An Estate of Happiness to be freed from all Misery and a Kingdom of Glory to have and to hold for ever who would not but be glad of such an Estate There is so much Self-Love in the most wicked Man on Earth no doubt that he would be happy when he dies he would not be damned but would chuse Heaven before Hell if he might have Heaven in his own way and time But hold you cannot have the Estate without marrying the Person If you like well of Christ to take him for your Head and Husband and are willing to give up your selves to him to be guided and governed by him then you shall be for ever enriched by him and glorified together with him otherwise not If you say We would have Christ we are willing to take him for our Saviour if that be all you cannot have him on any such terms Here is an Errour of the Person And though it be disputable in other Marriages what Errour of the Person is nulling yet there is no question in the case before us but this Errour of the Person will make it no Marriage It is another kind of Person who is offered to you in the Gospel The Gospel knoweth no such Christ as is a Saviour only and not a Lord as well What! would you have Christ to Crucify him would you have him to dethrone him So you do what in you lyeth if you are not willing to receive him as Lord as well as Saviour Now how can you think that Christ should consent to be yours on such terms But on the other hand if thou canst say Lord I assent to the Promises of the Gospel as true and embrace them as good indeed and worthy of all acceptation Lord I accept of thy terms I consent to take thee for my God to be ruled by thy Laws and led by thy Spirit and to take up with Thee for my Portion I consent that Christ be my Lord as well as Saviour I am willing to come under his Yoak yea to take up his Cross too when called to it I am satisfied that I cannot have him on too hard terms nor be a loser by him I am willing to be saved by him in his own way willing to be at his Command and at his dispose surely this is a Practical Faith a sound and Saving-Faith Wouldst thou know whether thou hast true Faith such as uniteth to Christ and may prove ones Interest in him Then ask thy Soul this Question Am I willing to have whole Christ willing to receive him as he is offered Do I accept of him on his own terms If so then know thy Faith is Sound and Christ is thine Then indeed the Match betwixt Christ and thy Soul that happy Match is made up Christ says his part in the Gospel wherein he freely offereth himself to Sinners and when we come to consent and take Christ as he is there offered then we say our part and thus the Match is made up If the Match break as one says it must be either because Christ is unwilling Vid. Method for Peace of Conscience pag. 58. Aphor. pag. 278. or because thou art unwilling not because Christ is unwilling for he makes suit to Sinners He freely offers himself and whosoever will may have him on his terms So that if thou art willing to accept of Christ on his terms it is done Christ and thy Soul are agreed This is the receiving of him which the Scripture maketh equivolent to believing on his Name In all that I have here said I do not deny but we are allowed to look at our own benefit and Salvation in coming to Christ and receiving him by Faith As one describes it to be perfugium peccatoris poenitentis ad Dei in Christo misericordiam Jo. Mestrezar cit prim Le Blanc p. 193. A penitent Sinners fleeing for safety and succour to the mercy of God in Christ According to the common experience of Christians the obtaining of Pardon and Salvation is the ratio motiva the first inducement drawing them to Christ yet this is not the ratio terminativa it is not all that Believers look at in closing with him Though that which first moves a poor Sinner to accept of Christ for his Lord and to forsake his old Masters Sin and the World be this that Christ is a Saviour to those who take him for their Lord too yet not till the Soul is made willing thus to receive him that it can be said to have a Gospel-Faith Saving Faith A partial consent in a Moral and Law-sense is no consent And God and Souls are not agreed while they only consent to one part of the Covenant refusing other terms he hath made necessary to the Agreement Such a lame consent will never bring a Soul to Christ or Heaven 2. A true Believer consents deliberately He can give a good account why he thus closeth with Christ He sees himself lost perishing undone for ever without Christ but that he is made for ever and hath all he can desire in the Promise and therefore shall have it in possession too having Christ He comes not to Christ upon slighty reasons but being fully convinced and assured that this is the best the only course he hath to take Here we may take notice that as the Law of works given to Man at first was very suitable to Man's innocent estate So is the Law of Grace the remedying Law suited to Man's lapsed nature And God in bringing Men to Grace to Faith in Jesus Christ worketh upon Men as Men as reasonable Creatures who have Vnderstanding and Will and have a natural principle of self-Self-Love and desire of Happiness and a natural principle of self-preservation dreading the thoughts of Destruction and everlasting Misery And God hath so framed his Law suitable to Man's nature that what he promiseth hath the force of an Argument Ball of the Covenant p. 225. Armin Disp priv Thes 43 §. 1. or strong motive to draw Men to what he requires As Mr. Baxter speaks fully There are some of Christs benefits that the very natural Man desires and some that corrupted nature is against Now it is therefore the established way of Christ to promise us those which we can desire on condition that we will also accept of and submit to those that we are against Not but that his Grace doth dispose Men to the performance of
for their outward Man but are still shifting for themselves without eying God's Will and Word or Providence or if they know not how to help themselves are presently sinking in despondency and quite swallowed up with distrustful fears cares and grief Thus far of the several Acts of Faith It s proper Elicit Acts. I shall further add a few Scripture-notes whereby Saving-Faith may be known 1. Where Faith is Christ is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 Vnto you which believe he is precious That which is called precious Faith will teach us to account Jesus Christ precious and all of Christ precious Thus to Believers the Person of Christ is precious 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love Believers that never saw him with their Eyes yet believing him to be such an one indeed as he is set forth in the Word they are exceedingly taken with him they cannot but admire him As the Spouse in Canticles was at a loss for expressions high enough to shew the loveliness and excellency of her Beloved After all that she had said in her description of him Cant. 5. she thinks her self very short and therefore concludes ver 16. Yea he is altogether lovely There is no true Believer but has high admiring thoughts of Christ sees him to be the chiefest of ten thousands To such his benefits are precious The Blood of Christ how precious 1 Pet. 1.18 19. And how precious are the benefits purchased by his Blood How do Believers prize a pardon How do such prize an Interest in Christ counting all things but loss and dung to that The Graces the Fruits of the Spirit how do they prize these above Riches above the most precious Fruits of the Earth The Love and Favour of Christ how do such prize it far above the Favour and Friendship of the World Lord do thou smile will such a Soul say and I can then be content though the World do frown Thy love is better than Wine Cant. 1.2 Nothing in the World would so chear the Hearts of the Faithful The presence of Christ Communion and Fellowship with Christ is highly prized of every believing Soul The Name of Christ is precious unto such and those things that bear his Name His Day the Lords Day accounted of above all other Days His Ordinances are prized The Doctrine of Christ as precious Ointment poured forth Cant. 1.3 His Word more precious than Gold His Promises exceeding precious 2 Pet. 1.4 And Prayer is accounted a precious Priviledg even that we may ask the Father in his Name Believers would not for a World be without this Priviledg Thus Chist is precious to Believers and all of Christ his Person his Offices his Benefits his Ordinances all are precious But further that you may not be mistaken here thinking that you prize Christ when it may be the Lord sees you are yet such as dispise him take these two or three notes to try your selves by 1. If now Christ be precious to us as he is to them that believe then certainly we are come to see our former vileness when we had base low unworthy thoughts of him and when our carriage was nothing less than a contempt of him How oft was Christ with all his precious benefits graciously offered to us in the Gospel while we did most unreasonably and ungratefully reject him we would none of him How long did we prefer the World and our base Lusts before him when we were called on to follow Christ how shy how backward have we been as ashamed of him or having better thoughts of our old Masters the Lusts and Pleasures we have served which we were loth to forsake for him Oh our Sin and Folly that ever we despised such a precious Saviour What a shame is this that ever any of the Sons of Men should be ashamed of Christ And what horrible vileness is this for any of us to have base thoughts of Christ And have not they base thoughts of Christ indeed who prefer some base Lust before him Hath he deserved to be so slighted and set at nought As he said to the Jews when they were ready to stone him Many good works have I shewed you from my Father for which of those works do ye stone me What After such unparallel'd Love and Compassion as he hath shewn towards us poor lost Sinners even when we were Enemies shewed in such a costly way as that of his most wonderful humiliation even to his dying a most painful shameful and accursed Death for us to purchase Pardon and Salvation for all that will accept him should we requite him so even reject him preferring his and our most deadly Enemies before him Was so great folly baseness and ingratitude ever heard of Surely if now we are come to see the worth of a Saviour and to prize him indeed we cannot but be greatly ashamed to think how we for trash and dung have sometimes trampled on that Pearl of greatest price Our former Sin of making light of Christ will now lye heavy and we shall be deeply humbled for it 2. If now Christ be precious to us as he is to them that believe then we have learnt to prize him above all things in the World Pray observe this we prize not Christ at all till we prize him above all You may perswade your selves Sirs that you have very good thoughts high thoughts of Christ as you can speak honourably of him but if you do not really prize him above your Profits your Pleasures your Credit or Honour or any thing you can have or expect in the World I must tell you you do shamefully undervalue him What low thoughts had Judas of the Lord Jesus who sold him for thirty peices of Silver the price of a Slave as some have noted from Exod. 21.32 the lowest price that the vilest of Men were rated at So do not they prize Christ at a goodly price that prefer worldly things before him Yea suppose one to have an equal love and estimation of Christ to that he hath of worldly things though indeed the Scales here are never even never at an aequipoise but the one or the other will weigh down yet if that were so it would not do Christ is set too low while any thing in the World is equalized to him and suffered to stand in competition with him Luk. 14.26 If any Man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple Hate not comparatively Loving in a less degree is sometimes termed hating in Scripture As Jacob is said to have hated Leah loving Rachel much more Gen. 29.30 31 33. But it would not have agreed with Jacob's Piety to have hated Leah taking the word strictly And to hate natural Parents is unnatural and impious and to hate ones self is against Nature and impossible That we must there understand a less degree of loving And as Christ will
of a Sermon that toucheth them but their trouble is soon over Vid. Dyke Deceitf of the Heart p. 92. They are as one says sometimes Sermon-sick but no otherwise than as Men are Sea-sick who are well again as soon as they come on Shore Yea this presently heals the matter with them they are ready to conceit that hereby they have made God amends And thus the Storm that was raised in their Consciences is laid and all is quiet again Sinners have their sad moods sometimes but like a Morning Cloud which is soon blown over and as the early dew which soon goes away Whereas a gracious Soul retains an humble broken frame of Heart for Sin has a Spirit of Mourning As the Psalmist says My Sin is ever before me I cannot look off from it neither can I think of it without Sorrow Even when he may have good hope through Grace that God is reconciled to him yet he cannot for all that be reconciled to himself He is still grieved at the remembrance of his Sins even when the Lord is pacified towards him We read Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that are mourning As the Participle there used may denote a continued act Yea one goes further and layeth it down as not improbable but that Godly Sorrow though without any bitter ingredients mixed with it shall be in Heaven All Tears indeed are wiped from those Blessed Eyes But the Question is of the Act of the Vnderstanding apprehending the evil of Sin and of the will disliking and being displeased with Sin whether these are not for the perfection of Nature and no oppression of it And whether a clearer sight and fuller taste of God's infinite Goodness which the Saints have in Heaven be not joyned or attended with a clearer and deeper sence and apprehension of the evil of their Sins committed here against so good a God Vid Symonds Case and Cure p. 239. Which I leave to the discussion of better Judgments 6. Godly Sorrow is a deep intense Sorrow not slighty and superficial It is called a great Mourning Zach. 12.11 As it is a mourning for Sin as the greatest evil As Sin is the greatest evil our greatest Sorrow should be for Sin If outward troubles be as a Thorn in the Flesh we should be pricked to the Heart with a sence of Sin Sin should be as a Sword piercing thorow our Souls As the Apostle Paul that was never heard to say O miserable Man that I am in regard of the Bonds and Afflictions that did abide him here in the World yet cryed out O wretched Man that I am in regard of a Body of Sin A Body of Sin was more grievous to him than all his Sufferings in the Body And proportionably to the measure of Grace any one attains to as he grows in Grace so his Sorrow for Sin riseth his displicence against Sin encreaseth But here two or three Questions are to be answered Quest 1. Are Tears necessary to evidence the Truth of our Repentance and Sorrow for Sin Answ 1. We find that the godly mentioned in Scripture ordinarily were such as could weep for Sin yea such as wept for the Sins of others As Ezra confessed weeping Chap. 10.1 Josiah his Heart was tender and he wept before the Lord 2 King 22.19 And what Floods of Tears think we did David pour out for his own Sins while as he says Psal 119.136 Rivers of Tears ran down his Eyes for the Sins of other Men And see a weeping Convert Luk. 7.37 38. Who even washed Christs Feet with her Tears So Peter after his great Sin in denying his Master went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.37 2. Men are oft called to Humiliation and Sorrow for Sin in Scripture under the term of weeping See Isa 22.12 Joel 2.12 And Jam. 4.9 Be afflicted and mourn and weep 3. God hath promised such a frame to his People in general that they should lament after him and follow him with Tears See Jer. 31.9 and 50.4 4. Yet Tears sometimes may be repressed through excess of inward Sorrow The Heart is fullest of Sorrow sometimes when it has no vent Seneca Leves dolores loquuntur ingentes stupent 5. Some how great soever their inward Sorrows are have so dry a constitution as will not afford Tears Thus in regard of that difference there is in their natural constitutions sighs and groans are more to some than plenty of Tears to others And they may have far more inward Humiliation and Sorrow for Sin though they cannot shed one Tear than others who have Tears at will 6. Tears are not pleasing to God but as proceeding from a contrite Heart God is pleased with a contrite Heart though it cannot command one Tear when the greatest abundance of Tears are not acceptable without a contrite Heart There are hypocritical Sighs and Tears as there are hypocritical Confessions 7. But if we can weep freely for outward losses or crosses that befal us and yet never weep for Sin this is a shrewd sign that we are Strangers to Godly Sorrow Thou that hast Tears enow and too many to spend about thy Worldly Troubles sure it is not from the dryness of thy Brain or from unaptness in thy natural temper and constitution but from the hardness of thy Heart if thou never sheddest Tears for thy Sins Quest 2. Whether one truly gracious may not have more grief for some great outward Tryal as the loss of some dear Relation c. than he hath for Sin Answ 1. However it is de facto yet de jure every one ought to grieve more for Sin than for Affliction The Love of God requires it In the Afflictions that befall us the will of the Lord is done and whatever we suffer we should say The will of the Lord be done but in Sin his will is crossed and disobeyed There is nothing so contrary to God as Sin Yea as the love of God so a regular self-love requires it that we grieve most for Sin There is nothing so contrary to our Souls Interest and Happiness as Sin 2. We must distinguish betwixt grief as seated in the sensitive Faculty as it is a Passion and as it is seated in the rational Powers Understanding and Will So the Passion of Grief may be greater for some sadly pressing pinching and smarting Tryal and Affliction than for Sin in one that hath true Godly Sorrow As Grief is common to us with brute Creatures and as they say the Hart when taken by the Hounds sheds tears the sensitive Faculty and one truly gracious may feel a deeper impression of trouble from outward Afflictions that are nearer to our sences and yet the rational part has a deeper sence of Sin and is more disquieted for it As 1. The practical Vnderstanding and Judgment accounts Sin a greater evil than all Afflictions A worse kind of Evil. An Affliction may be grievous but Sin is odious and is accounted
amiableness which is in God for which he is to be loved above all and in respect of which Mans nearest conjunction with him must needs be his highest felicity while a Man is a stranger to all this he cannot love God as God for himself but only for some fancied happiness and self-advantage expected from him See more of this and so the Mystery of the love of God and of our selves accurately opened in Mr. Baxters Christian Directory pag. 182. c. 3. That is a right holy love of God indeed if we love him as an holy God And it is not enough to love him as our great and gracious Benefactor but we must also love him as our Righteous and Holy Ruler and Governor A Gracious Soul feareth the Lord for his Goodness and loves him even for his Holiness but graceless ones contemn him for the former and hate him for the latter Psal 119.140 Thy Word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it So this is comfortable indeed if we can say the like of God himself if we love him not only for his Kindness and Benignity but also for his Holiness and Purity Flesh and blood would never teach this Corrupt nature is contrarily inclined Sinners either suppress the notion of God's Holiness and take up a most false blasphemous conceit that God is like to them and approveth well enough of them and their wayes as in Psal 50.21 Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self Or if they have an apprehension of his Holiness in that respect they love him not but have a great aversation from him and contrariety to him Now it is not being taken with a false Idea or representation of God which will pass for love to God This is but setting up an Idol in the heart Neither is it enough to love God as the God of Nature the Creator and Preserver of all things He from whom we have our beings and well-beings our great Benefacter who giveth us life and breath and all things who giveth us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness c. I say it is too short to love him as our Creator and Preserver but we must love him as our Righteous and Holy Governor Sinners do not take distaste at all that is in God or at all he does but his Holiness exprest in his most Righteous and Holy Laws this is that in special which they cannot be reconciled unto So they are far from loving him as their Holy Ruler and Judg as one that cannot but be displeased at Sin which is so contrary to his Holy Nature and to his Righteous Will They are not so much taken with God in any other respect as in this respect they are displeased with him But Holiness is as essential to God as any other Attribute of his Exo. 15.11 Who is like thee glorious in Holiness So they that would deprive him of his Holiness would spoil him of a chief part of his Glory Yea if he were not Holy he should not be God That Sinners who wish in their hearts that God was not so Holy and that his Laws were not so strict or that they might be exempted from his Laws or from giving account to God they interpretatively wish that there was no God And if it was in their power it is in their hearts to dethrone and un-God him Now surely such are so far from loving God that indeed they are haters of God Rom. 1.30 And well may his soul loath them while their souls abhor him Zech. 11.8 How many alas who love not God for all that he is pleased to do for them as they dislike him upon this account that he hath imposed upon them Laws that are contrary to their Lusts such will be found in the rank of those that hate him Exod. 20.5 The love of God as our Holy Ruler is so necessary that it will nothing advantage a Man if he should dy in God's cause as a Turk may chuse to dye rather then to deny his Mahomet If one of us should chuse to sacrifice his life rather than renounce his Religion professed I say this would not avail at all while his heart was more for his lusts than for God As indeed this is not to love God to prefer any lust before him what ever else one may part with for him So 4. If we love God sincerely we love him suparlatively we love him above all Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee True love to God will not admit of any corrival with him will suffer nothing to stand in competition with him We cannot love him as God if we love any creature as much or above him For a Wife to love her Husband but as she loveth another Man this is not in a moral sense to love her Husband this is not true conjugal love So we do not love God sin cerely as God if we love any thing in the World as much Therefore certainly they that are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God as 2 Tim. 3.4 and they that love the praise of men more than the praise of God Joh. 12.43 they that are lovers of the World and worldly things 1 Joh. 2.15 that have their hearts chiefly set on these things they are spiritual Adulterers and Adulteresses as the Apostle James calleth them Jam. 4.4 their hearts depart go a whoring from God The love of God dwelleth not in them It dwells not where it rules not where it is not predominant prevailing over carnal sinful love and subjugating natural love though they are not totally eradicated here But hereupon some sound upright hearts may be questioning the truth of their love to God not finding those strong passionate workings in their hearts towards God which they have towards some creatures towards their dear relations c. To satisfy such As we distinguished before in speaking of Godly Sorrow there is a passionate Sorrow and there is a rational Sorrow so we must distinguish of Love There is a passionate Love which may express it self more towards creatures God being a Spirit is removed further from our senses and not so near unto our passions he is not directly the object of a passionate Love But as he is manifested and shewed to the enlightned understanding as most amiable and the chiefest Good the renewed Will preferreth chuseth and adhereth to him before all other And this is a rational spiritual Love Now do we in our setled judgment esteem and prefer and in our will chuse and imbrace him before all Do we indeed prize and desire an interest in him above all things in the World Had we rather part with all Possessions Relations c. than to have no part in him Should we account our selves really miserable without him what ever else we may enjoy but happy and blest in him though we were deprived of all
worldly comforts Would an interest in God with us weigh down all the World This is a surer evidence of true love to God if the settled bent and inclination of our Souls be towards him than any sudden transports and flashes of affection or passionate workings or ravishments that come and go and leave not the Soul in such a frame Well lay up this Note and try and judg of your selves by it So much as the Will is inclined towards God and the Heart set upon him above all things in the World so much there is of the Grace of Love so far a Soul loveth God in sincerity 5. If we love God indeed than we cannot be satisfied without an interest in God and we cannot but earnestly desire to have our interest in him cleared to us I do not say we must know our special propriety in him that he is our God before we can truly love him No but a true love to God is that which must evidence God's especial love to us and our special interest in God By being such as love God we may know we are in special relation to him of the number of those who are the Called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 But if we love him indeed we shall long to come to a sense of his love and to see our special interest in him As the Psalmist Psal 119.58 I intreated thy favour thy face with my whole heart Lord one good look one smile from thee A little in the World with God's favour would give us more content than the whole World without it As the Spouse says Cant. 6.3 I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine So if God hath our love we shall be restless till we can say that he is ours till we can call him our own As they that are in love cannot injoy themselves unless they may obtain their Beloved As they say Love would be paid in its own coin If we love God we cannot be content unless we may be in his Eyes as them who find favour So we shall desire rather to enjoy the light of his Countenance than the greatest affluence of worldly comforts as Psal 4.6 7. But are not most of us of another mind How many that are more intent upon the World to get Estates here than to get an interest in God How many who if they may have the World smiling on them never regard though they are under God's frowns How many that seek the favour and friendship of Men more than the favour of God Doubtless such have not the love of God in them 6. If we have the love of God in us then we shall greatly desire and delight in his presence and mourn take on sadly in his absence Psal 42.1 2. As the Hart panteth after the Water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God Psal 101.2 O when wilt thou come unto me If we love God we shall long for his gracious visits It will be our delight to draw nigh to God in holy Duties in his Ordinances and especially when we can find the Lord drawing nigh to our Souls as we are joyed at the coming of a special friend And as intimate friends are not content to be long asunder we shall not be satisfied without God's presence As Moses said Exod. 33.15 If thy presence go not with me carry us not hence He would have chosen to be in a Wilderness with God's presence rather than to enjoy a Canaan without it so if we have the love of God in us we shall rather desire to be in affliction and have his presence with us than to enjoy great worldly prosperity without him So we shall account this one of the saddest afflictions if the Lord withdraws and estrangeth himself from us as the Psalmist Psal 30.7 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled We know not how to bear his frowns In such a case we shall have many sad and serious self-reflections often asking our Souls What is the matter what have we done that the Lord takes unkindly that has set him at such a distance We shall not rest till we have found out the cause and removed it till this sad breach be made up and we restored to our communion with God If indeed our hearts be with him we can no longer enjoy our selves than we enjoy him A soul that loves God cannot but say It is not good Lord for me to be alone counting it an Heaven upon Earth to enjoy him but an Hell to live without him in the World As the Needle touch'd with the Loadstone will be turning to such a point the Heart being touch'd with the love of God will be moving and inclining towards him it cannot rest but in the enjoyment of him as Psal 63.8 My soul followeth hard after thee Such a soul is in a trembling posture and is fainting for him when the Lord carrieth more strange when he hides his face Psal 84.2 My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God my soul even fainteth This is Love's sickness Are we thus sick of Love as the Spouse was Cant. 5.8 There is a lamenting love as well as a delighting love As the Child crieth for its Mother As we are grieved at the loss or long absence of a dear friend Absence is the Lover's night God's absence makes the darkest and faddest night to the souls of his People My soul fainteth for the Courts of the Lord because there he was wont to have fights of God Psal 63.2 there he was wont to enjoy sweet communion with him And my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God He would send his hearty and carnest cries after him So if we love God we shall seek him still though he be a God that sometimes hideth himself Isa 45.15 Thus the Spouse shewed how her heart went after her Beloved whenshe sought him in the streets of the City sought him in the broad ways Cant. 3.2 went about up and down seeking him and could not rest till she had found him As they shewed how they were taken with their Idols Jer. 8.2 Whom they have loved and whom they have served and after whom they have walked and whom they have sought By love the Soul is knit to the Lord and cleaveth to him Deut. 11.12 and it must needs go fore with such a soul to be parted to be separated from him Nothing in the World can be more grievous to it 7. If we have the love of God in us while we are our selves are in our right frame and act like our selves we are breathing after and longing for the full enjoyment of God in Glory We desire and are glad of his presence with us here yet are not satisfied therewith but set a longing after Heaven where our love to God shall be perfect our communion with him more immediate and our joy in him full so if we love God how
of God in us our indignation will be moved when we hear the Name of God profaned and see his Majesty affronted his Laws violated his truth and interest opposed Now what say you to this If you can be sensible enough of any injury done to your selves but no way touched or affected with the great indignities you oft see and hear offered unto God If you can see Sinners as it were flying in God's face and yet remain sensless and speechless having nothing to say in God's cause as the Psalmist was dumb in his own cause Psal 38.14 as a Man that beareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofs If you can have fellowship with Sinners delight in their company and rather countenance than discountenance the Ungodly and love them that hate the Lord will these things shew any love to God Would you take him for your friend that could see others evil intreat you and yet stood by as one wholly unconcerned And can you be friends with those who shew themselves enemies to God and no way manifest your displeasure against them and their evil ways and will you yet pretend to love God 11. If we love God we have a desire to win and draw in others to him Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee When she was drawn she would be for drawing others to him She was not content to come alone but would endeavour to bring in others with her As the Psalmist Psal 34.3 O magnify the Lord with me So one that loves God will be ready to call upon others O love the Lord with me O serve the Lord with me If we have the love of God in us it will grieve us to see others enemies to God As the Psalmist I beheld the transgressours and was grieved And especially it will be our grief to see any of ours alienated from God to see any of our friends enemies to God any of our Relations such as are near to us afar off from God to see any of our Children backward to that which is good Children of disobedience carrying so that we may know they have not the love of God in them We shall be earnest with God in Prayer that he would change their hearts that he would circumcise their hearts to love him What is it that we would chuse for ours if we might have our choice Whether would we chuse God or the World Had we rather see them in a state of Grace and in favour with God though they were never so poor and low in the World than see them rich and graceless And would we in the first place acquaint them with God Are we still admonishing perswading charging them to come in to him If we are less afraid of displeasing God by a sinful silence here than of displeasing them by plain and faithful dealing with them is not this to honour them above the Lord And if we can be well enough pleased with Children though we cannot see the least spark of Grace in them if they are but likely to thrive and prosper in the World and if we regard not though our Servants are backward to God's Service while they follow our business close if we take no pains with them to get them better principled such things would shew as little love to God as to their souls 12. If the love of God be in us then we are no longer in love or in league with Sin Psal 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil How can we love God who is Holiness it self and yet be in love with Sin that is so contrary to God He that loves his Prince hates Treason and Rebellion against his Prince He that loves his Father Ubi regnat charitas non regnat cupiditas Lud. Carthus does not delight to walk cross to his Father The predominant love of God and reigning Sin are things utterly inconsistent If we love God we cannot but hate and dread that which would separate betwixt us and our God Here I may allude to that Text Deut. 13.4 6 8. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God and cleave to him And if thy friend which is as thine own soul entice thee secretly saying Let us go and serve other gods Thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him neither shall thine eye pity him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceal him But thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death So if we love God and cleave to him we shall not be for concealing and sparing any sin how dear so ever it may have been though it hath been as a right Eye or as a right Hand to us we shall no longer connive at any Darling Lust that would entice and draw away our hearts from God we shall be resolved on the mortifying and crucifying of it The love of God and friendship with Sin will not stand together Oh! think seriously of this While thou art wedded to any lust to thy Pride to thy Flesh-pleasing Sensuality or to thy Covetousness c. thy heart is not with God Thou canst not cleave to God and Sin both Thou canst not be for two Masters so contrary but if thou lovest the one thou must needs hate the other if thou cleavest to the one thou must needs forsake the other If thou lovest evil more than good as Psal 52.3 if thou art so far linkt in and in league with any lust that thy Will is more for keeping than for parting with it more for serving and gratifying than for subduing and crucifying it the love of God is not in thee 13. If we love God then it is our delight to serve and obey him 1 Joh. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous So in 2 Epist v. 6. This is love that we walk after his Commandments To love him and keep his Commandments are joyned Exod. 20.6 Neh. 1.5 When a friend says If you love me do such a thing for me his Intreaty useth to have the force of a Command If God's Commands have no force with us it is a sign we love him not If we have the love of God in us Nunquam est Dei Amor otiosus Operatur etenim magna si est Si vero operari renuit Amor non est Gregor Mag. Hom. 30. we shall delight in his Law as the Psalmist did Psal 119.70 we shall delight to do the will of God and chuse the things that please him As we must shew our faith so our love by our works Qui non placet Deo non potest illi placere Deus Bern. As I told you before Love is a well-pleasedness with God above with a desire in all things to please him Now if we are more for pleasing our selves than for pleasing God more for having our own wills than for doing the will of God if we are more at Mens command at the command
from them Without doubt the wicked and impenitent are bound to believe God's threatnings denounced against such in his holy Word and so to conclude themselves at present in a miserable state subject to God's wrath and curse and final condemnation that if they die in their present state they are sure to be damned And certainly they that are bound to believe and conclude thus of themselves ought thereupon to be moved with fear Can there be any greater fool-hardiness than this for any to see Hell before them to see themselves ready to drop into that Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever and yet not fear and tremble only indeed such are not to despair to conclude there is no hope There is hope yet upon condition and supposition that if they repent and turn they shall live they shall not die 4. There is a penal Fear not only a fear of punishment but a fear inflicted as a punishment Terror and consternation of mind is threatned as a punishment Lev. 26.16 I also will do this unto you I will even appoint over you terrour And v. 36. and if Men sin sin wilfully after they had received the knowledg of the truth there remains nothing for them but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries Heb. 10.27 This penal fear in its full strength and perfection is upon the Devils and the Spirits of disobedient ones in Prison with them They cannot but tremble Jam. 2.19 Horrour hath taken full and fast hold of them which they can no more any ways shake off This is one part of the punishment and misery of the Damned that they can never think of God and of his Wrath without Horrour and while they lie under the fierceness of his Wrath while they feel the weight and heat of it while they are scorching in the flames of his Wrath how is it possible to put off such thoughts 5. There is also a gracious holy filial Fear A Godly Fear and a Fear proper to the Godly Which is not only a fear of God as a Judg but as a Father not only a fear of Punishment but of the Offence a fear proceeding from Love An humble and reverent respect to his Presence Majesty and Excellency a careful shunning of what we know to be displeasing to him not only in regard of his Greatness Power Holiness Justice but also in regard of his Goodness and Mercy Psal 136.4 Hos 3.5 There is a Natural Fear as we have heard but this is a Spiritual Fear A Grace a choice fruit of the Sanctifying Spirit who is therefore called the Spirit of Fear Isa 11.2 There is a Sinful Fear which is forbidden as the Fear of Man c. but this is a great Duty commanded A special means to keep from sin Exod. 20.20 There is a Servile Fear but this is a Fear of Sons not of Slaves it well agrees with the Spirit of Adoption There is a Penal Fear but this is no Punishment but a special Blessing a rare and excellent gift of God As that is a precious Promise Jer. 32.40 I will put my Fear in their hearts Now I shall apply these things to the Text objected in these following Conclusions 1. It is not to be expected that the highest degree of love found in any Saint upon Earth should quite expel and cast out all natural Fear Christ's Love was absolutely perfect yet was he not without a natural fear of Death only that natural passion was in a perfect subjection to his Reason and Will the higher powers of his Soul and these in perfect subjection to the will of God his Father Note it is the work of Grace here not to extirpate natural Passions but to rule and govern them And the Self-denial Faith Love Patience Constancy of the Saints would not be tried by their sufferings if these were things that they had no fear of no natural reluctancy unto 2. So far as the love of God prevails so far carnal fear is expelled And some very learned Men think Quem timorem intelligi praestat nisi negation is auctorem quam dilectionem perfectam adfirmat nisi fugatricem timoris animatricem confessionis Tertull advers Gnostic the Apostle John speaketh of this kind of fear So Grotius and Dr. Hammond As the Fearful that are joyned with the Vnbelieving Rev. 21.8 may well be understood of such as are overpowrâ—d with carnal fear Such as are possessed with that spirit of fear 2 Tim. 1.7 of such a base cowardly timerous spirit that they dare not own the truth and ways of God when any danger may attend it Much might be said for this exposition It cannot well be denied but carnal fear is a tormenting thing But such is the power of holy love that it will raise the Soul ordinarily above such fear It will endue a Christian with a spirit of fortitude to bear the greatest torments Men can inflict as was seen in the Martyrs But as love in the Saints is not absolutely perfect here so neither are they wholly freed here from carnal fear nor are they wholly under the power of it It riseth sometimes and puts them into great disorder and confusion for a time but it is quelled and suppressed again 3. As the love of God gets ground in the heart servile fear is giving place The more vigorous and lively our love to God is the clearer evidence we have of his love to us that ordinarily we shall be more freed from that tormenting fear of being under his wrath And while we act from love it is certain we are not only or chiefly irrepelled by fear If love to God and his service be the chief moving principle then fear of punishment is not the chief And further the more we love God the more unwilling we shall be to entertain hard and black thoughts of him The more we love him the more lovely he appears to us And while our hearts are united and cleave to him in love we are secured from that fear which drives Souls from him 4. A true filial Fear of God is so far from being contrary to that it is a good evidence of love to God As on the contrary if we do not stand in awe of him if we care not to offend and displease him it is an argument that we do not love him True love to God will make us tender of his Honour and most sollicitous to keep in his Favour Res est solliciti plena timoris amor Thus if we have the Love of God in us we shall fear and shun what we know to be displeasing and a dishonour to him And when we fear sin more than punishment it argues that we love God above our selves that his Honour is dearer to us than our own ease or interest Yet all fear of punishment is not contrary to the love of God nor will prove one of a slavish spirit A Child of God is
purpose Of the concurrent judgment of Protestants concerning the Interest of Reason in matters of Religion The more the understanding of a Christian discerneth the Evidences Pag. 14. §. 24. and true Reason of all things in Religion the far greater advantage his Will hath for the love of it and fixed resolution never to forsake it and for seriousness and constancy in an holy Self-denying Life and for patience in Sufferings and joyful hopes of Heavenly Glory For Grace worketh on Man as Man That is as a rational free Agent whose Will must be guided by the light of his understanding So they And yet we must say that there are many Points in Religion which Mans Reason without Divine Supernatural Revelation could never discover as ver 9. the Mystery of the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ c. Though part of the Christian Religion be evident by the Light of Nature yet what is not of Natural Revelation the soundest and strongest Reason and Understanding of Man could never reach unto without the help of Supernatural Revelation As there is no seeing without Light so there is no Knowledge without some intelligible Evidence Again This we must not hold That what is Supernaturally revealed though in it self never so much above the reach of Natural Reason is not to be doubted of but must be concluded infallibly certain Though we may not take any thing to be the Word of God without Reason Mr. Baxt. of Self-denial pag. 280. yet when we have Reason to take it to be his Word we must believe and submit to all that is in it without any more reason for our Belief Since it is evident by many Infallible proofs that the Scriptures are the Word of God the God of Truth that cannot Lye we have good reason indeed to yield our ready and full assent to whatsoever is taught and held forth in the Sacred Scriptures And it is unreasonable not to believe the Word of God that God who is Omniscient and All-wise that he cannot be deceived and who is infinitely Holy and Good that he cannot deceive Thus those high Points of Faith which could never be cleared by natural proof or evidence yet we are to receive as unquestionable Verities upon account of God's Veracity they being revealed by him in his holy Word In such cases to acknowledg the short-sightedness of our imperfect understandings is but reasonable But to deny or question the truth of Divine Revelation is most unreasonable and impious Yet it must be noted That this no way befriendeth those who would impose new Articles of Faith upon Christians or put a false sense on any part of Scripture that it may be thought to favour their Errors and Absurdities Such are like the false Prophets of old Ezek. 13.7 that would tell the People The Lord saith it albeit he had not spoken Thus the Papists would father the first-born of Monsters and grossest of Absurdities their Transubstantiation upon God and Jesus Christ A Doctrine full of Contradictions contrary to common Sense and Reason and to many plain points of Faith But from what Scripture do they learn or can they prove it that a Priest hath power by mumbling over a few words to turn Bread and Wine into the very Body and Blood of Christ It 's true we read This is my Body And so it is Sacramentally and Representatively notwithstanding it is naturally Bread still And how oft is it called Bread even after Consecration shewing that its substance is not changed by its Consecration but only its use It is Bread still when Consecrated when Administred when Eaten 1 Cor. 11.26 27 28. As often us ye eat this Bread c. Whereas the Papists contrary to plain Scripture and to all our Senses will needs have it to be no more Bread One thing more must be laid down here that Man's Reason and understanding Faculty since the Fall is naturally blind and dark depraved whence it is apt to judg sinisterly and falsly of Spiritual things unable spiritually and savingly to discern them without the special Illumination of the holy Spirit Yet it will not follow that Men must lay aside their Reason either waiting for immediate Revelations with the Enthusiasts or subscribing to the dictates of Men hand over head right or wrong true or false with the Papists But they are to use their own Vnderstandings the best they can to get Instruction from the Word of God which was written to make wise the Simple not leaning to their own Vnderstandings which are so lame but earnestly calling in the help and guidance of the Spirit of Truth to lead them into all Truth And they are in the most hopeful way to find the Spirit 's assistance here who are most diligent and careful in the use of those means whereunto he directs Men such as Reading Hearing the Word Meditation Prayer Conference But observe as to the sight of an Object these three things are joyntly-necessarily required Scil. 1. The Eye or Visive Faculty 2. The Object to be seen 3. The Light to irradiate the Object So to the knowledg of Religion and the Doctrine of Salvation these three things are no less necessarily concurring 1. Our Reason or understanding Faculty 2. The Object or Doctrine of Truth to be known 3. Nam et oculus sic factus est ut videre lumen possit sed videre non potest nisi se illi lumen infuderit Fulgent Epist 6. That the holy Spirits's enlightning the Mind or opening the Understanding to apprehend and discern this Object Which illumination of the Spirit is twofold common or special Pardon this Digression For several Reasons I have thought it not unseasonable at this time to speak something of the Interest of Reason in the matters of Religion Concerning which for fuller Satisfaction peruse those few sheets forecited But thus that denying of our selves which Christ calleth us unto doth not include a renouncing of the use of Reason 4. When we are required to deny our selves the meaning is not that we should destroy our selves or unnecessarily do any thing tending thereunto Self-denial is an eminent and precious Grace but Self-murder a very great and dreadful Sin To be ready to lay down our lives when God calleth to it is an eminent act of Self-denial but to cast away our lives in a discontened humour or by neglect is quite another thing 5. To wrong our selves by denying our selves the needful comforts God alloweth us is not Christian Self-denial As some poor melancholy persons almost famish themselves To deny our selves a sober moderate use of Creature-comforts that we have need of is more than the Lord requires Some there are so covetous that though they have great Wealth and Riches yet they have not power to eat thereof Here is Self-denial even from the basest selfishness A denying of natural self for worldly self But the greatest wronging of our selves is a rejecting Grace offered This is Self-undoing not right Self-denial 6.
brings down a rebellious Will As it is contrary to Self-conceitedness so to Self-willedness This is the great Controversie betwixt God and Sinners whose Will shall stand his or theirs But Self-denial where it comes decides the cause for God One that truly denies himself would have no will of his own but what is subject to the Will of God He resolvedly crosseth his own will wherein he sees it cross and contrary to the Will of God And thus it is plain They that walk in the way of their own hearts that are fully bent upon their own wills that give up themselves in their ordinary course to follow their own sinful Inclinations are far from Self-denial Self-denial and a course of wilful disobedience Self-denial and any reigning Sin are things utterly inconsistent A will to please God and a will to please our selves in any way or course which we know to be contrary to the Mind and Will of God cannot be both together in a prevailing degree 7. Self-denial is not consistent with reigning inordinate self-Self-love It 's true there is a regular Self-love which is not contrary to Self-denial Indeed there are none that do so truly love themselves as those that have learnt to deny themselves for God and Jesus Christ who love God and Jesus Christ above themselves But a corrupt Self-love where it is predominant excludes the true love of God and the love of our Neighbour and all true Self-denial By this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man prefers and esteems himself and his own things above all other is most pleased with himself and most devoted to himself in short by this a Man makes an Idol of himself This Self-love is blind indeed and makes Men blind It will not let a Man see the evil of his state and of his way and course It is a chief cause of Self-flattery Self-deceit But the grand impediment and obstruction of Self-denial This Self-love is the heart of the Old-Man till this be mortified we can neither die to Sin nor live to God So while sinful Self-love is in full power we are far from Self-denial 8. Self-denial will heartily engage a Man against a sensual flesh-pleasing course For one to place his Happiness in pleasing his Appetite or Senses in Meats Drinks fine Apparels Pastimes and Recreations c. to mind such things more than the pleasing and enjoying of God to be more set upon them is a plain evidence that he is in the flesh and walks after the flesh which is most contrary to a Self-denying life Yea though he do not run into the excess of Riot which loose profane debauched Persons give themselves up unto Mr. Baxt. Christian Directory p. 271. §. 20. As is well observed Even the flesh it self may forbid a sensualist to be Drunk or to eat till he be Sick for Sickness and Shame are displeasing to the flesh It is enough to prove a Man a Sensualist and still for Self while he aimeth at the pleasing of his Appetite or Senses even as his end and looketh no higher surely we should be for pleasing these no further than may promote our main Work may help us on in the lively chearful Service of God And whether we Eat or Drink or Recreate our selves at any time that should be our end even that we may be fitter to serve and glorifie our Maker and Redeemer Now such as have no respect hereunto and such as are for pleasing the Flesh though God be displeased have not yet learn'd to deny themselves Self-denial would teach us to pinch and displease rather than pamper the Flesh And they that cannot deny their Excesses for God stint their inordinate Appetites refrain from immoderate Recreations cut off and cast away their proud and vain fashions of Attire that commend them to none unless it be to light and vain Persons how shall such deny and forsake all for God 9. Self-denial is opposit to a course of Self-seeking and will cause a Man habitually and most ordinarily to prefer God's Interest above his own Surely they are altogether strangers to Self-denial that are all for seeking their own things and not the things which are Jesus Christs And if we seek our own things more heartily seriously and earnestly than the things of Christ what would this shew but that inordinate Self-love is predominant in us And does it not argue plain selfishness when Men are chiefly led by self-ends and most set upon self-interest when Men are more for their own interest than for the interest of Christ Now how full is the World of such as are for enriching and advancing themselves who little or nothing regard the advancement of the Kingdom and Interest of Christ How many whatever pretentions they make of serving Christ yet their intentions and designs are rather to serve themselves of him And that are indeed for no more of Religion than will stand with and promote their worldly interest supposing that gain is Godliness as the Apostle speaks of them 1 Tim. 6.5 How many that will follow Christ no further than may be in the way to riches and preferment in the World But such as have learn'd to deny themselves would not seek their own things above or in competition with the things of Christ but only in subordination to those higher things While others follow Christ but for self such follow their worldly Callings and ordinary Imployments for Christ They are painful and diligent in their Callings but if you ask who they work for It is not for the flesh not for self but for God and Christ They are laying up for God and laying out for God When we have given our own selves to God as they did 2 Cor. 8.5 accounting our selves no more our own we shall make over all we have to God and shall desire to use and imploy our Parts Interest Estate c. for him according to his Will We shall not account any thing so our own as for us to use how we please but as may be most pleasing to God But if we are at excessive pains and at great cost and charge for Self while we care not how little we are at in God's Service if we think we can never lay up enough for Self or care not how much we lay out on Self and how little we lay out for God and Christ if we think a little expended in works of Charity or for Pious-uses too much such things would bewray base selfishness they are no signs of Self-denial 10. Self-denial will take a Man off from hunting after vain applause One of a self-denying spirit is more for the favour and approbation of God than for the praise of Man It 's true he may and ought to prize a good Name he would not do any thing to wound and blemish his Credit But it is not so much on his own account that he is tender of his good Name and Reputation as upon the account of Religion with respect to the
Duty of watching over them 9. Do you sympathize with them in their Sufferings 10. Are you ready to own and take part with them 11. And ready to relieve them according to your ability 12. Are you true Mourners at the death of such lamenting the loss of them 5. Try your Fear of God 1. Does your Fear of God arise from a sound Knowledg of Him And from the Love of God from high admiring thoughts not from hard thoughts of Him 2. What freeness in your Spirits this way Do you chuse the Fear of the Lord Do you desire to fear his Name 3. Do you fear God above all 4. What effect hath it on you 1. Doth it cause you to depart from evil 1. In general dare you not allow of any known Sin 2. In particular are you careful to flee from Sins in fashion 3. Do you fear sinning in secret 4. And fear to displease God in small Matters 5. And fear Sin more than Suffering from Men 6. And fear Sin more than the lash of Affliction 7. And not only fear but hate Sin 2. Is your Fear of God seen in your respect to his Commands 1. Do you reverence God's Commands 2. And do you delight in them too 3. Have you an impartial respect to them 4. And a continued respect to them 3. Are you reverent in God's Worship Have you not only a reverent carriage but a reverent frame of Heart 4. Do you carry ordinarily as in God's Presence 5. Have you a jealous fear of your selves and a cautious fear of Temptations 6. Does your Fear of God make you Humble 7. Does it make you Pitiful 8. Does it prevail over a base carnal fear of Man 9. Are you for teaching others God's Fear Thus of the Effects 5. What are the Companions and Concomitants of your Fear 1. Does your Fear and Faith go together 2. And Fear and Godly Sorrow 3. And Fear and Love 4. And Fear and Joy in the Lord Though I must confess all that have God's Fear find not that Joy accompanying it 6. Try your Humility 1. Is it founded in a sound Knowledge of God in his Excellencies and a knowledg of your selves your meanness sinful vileness and miserableness in your selves 2. Have you been soundly humbled 3. Have you humble Hearts Is your Humility most inward and in God's sight and not only in appearance to Men 4. Is it voluntary Humility in a right sense are your Hearts for it indeed would you be vile in your own Eyes 5. Are you ready to receive reproof 6. Are you not for excusing or extenuating your Sins but for a free confession of them 7. Are you no more led away with predominant self-conceit either of your Knowledg Abilities or Deserts 8. Nor led away with a predominant affectation of vain-glory or Men's applause Are you willing to lye low in the thoughts of others 9. Are you content with your station not for aspiring ambitious attempts and projects 10. Have you very thankful Hearts Do you greatly admire God's free Mercy in all he does for you being very sensible of your own unworthiness 11. Does Humility teach you Moderation not to be lifted up in prosperity 12. And likewise teach you Patience not to fret and murmur in adversity 13. Are you Prayerful and humble in your addresses unto God 14. And willing to wait as well as Pray 15. Are you very reverent in God's Worship as really apprehensive of an infinite distance betwixt God and you and conscious of your great unworthiness and unfitness to approach and draw nigh to God 16. Have you a truly charitable frame of Heart towards others Are you more forward to judg your selves than censure others And more ready to extenuate others faults than your own 17. Are you meek not of revengeful implacable Spirits but soon pacified when you have been provoked and injured by others 18. While you are sensible of and truly sorry for your own weaknesses and sinful imperfections yet withal can you heartily rejoice in the greater Abilities and eminent shining Graces of others 19. Are you of a yeilding and obedient Spirit 20. Do you make light of being vilified for God and Christ 21. Have you a great abhorrence of Pride especially of Pride in your selves 7. Try your Self-denial 1. What Self-denial in your Judgments 1. Do you seriously account that you are not your own 2. And that you are weak and insufficient of your selves that you can do nothing of your selves 3. And that you are vile and deserve nothing of your selves 2. What Self-denial in your Wills and Affections 1. Are you for the utter renouncing and rejecting of carnal corrupt self 2. Are you for doing Gods Will rather than your own for pleasing God rather than your selves 3. Are you for submitting to God's disposing Will rather than to be left to carve for your selves to have your own Wills 4. Is it your real hearty desire that you may be able to forsake all for God and Christ's sake if you should be called to it Are you not for depending on your selves but on the Grace of God in Christ for Assistance for Acceptance and for a Glorious Recompence 3. What Self-denial in your Life and practice 1. Do you strenuously oppose sinful self Do you deny to make pvovision for the flesh are you starving out your Corruptions 2. Do you employ the Talents you are intrusted with not chiefly for your selves but for God 3. Do you readily part with and actually forsake any worldly comfort which the Lord calleth for And what can you say to those other notes laid down 1. Do you indeed abhor your selves 2. Do you by Faith see better things far greater matters that God hath promised than those he calleth you to deny your selves in 3. Is your love to God and Jesus Christ predominant 4. Are you not for arrogating any praise to your selves which is due to God or would detract from his praise 5. Do you fully subject your Judgments to the Sentence of God's Word 6. Are your wills brought into subjection too 7. Does sinful self-self-love reign no longer in you 8. Are you heartily engaged and set against a sensual flesh-pleasing course 9. Are you not for a course of self-seeking Are you habitually and most ordinarily for preferring God's Interest before your own 10. Are you no longer for hunting after the vain applause of Men Do you now regard that less and seek the favour and approbation of God more 11. Do you readily yield to just reproof 12. Are you faithful in admonishing others and that where self-interest would disswade you 13. Are you against sinful sloth not indulging your selves in it 14. Are you truly charitable and helpful unto others 15. Are you disposed to love your Enemies and to forgive injuries 16. Do you lay to heart the Churches troubles and Publick Calamities more than Personal or Family-Afflictions 17. Could you think your selves more happy in serving pleasing and honouring God than in prospering being
your selves advanced in the World 18. Do you take part with the strictest of God's Commands 19. Are you well pleased with the harshest Providences that are a means to bring down sinful-self and selfishness 20. Are you fully resolved in the strength of God's Grace to forsake all rather than forsake God and Christ his Truth and Ways 8. Try your professed Sincerity and Integrity 1. Are you got past those simple ones that rest in their good meanings 2. Are you willing to know your whole duty 3. Are you for strict self-searching 4. And for wholsom Admonition and Reproof 5. And for an ingenuous Confession of your Sins not for hiding or palliating them 6. Have you left halting betwixt two Are you now really resolved for God and entirely devoted to him 7. Do you love Christ in Sincerity 8. Do you walk before God carry as in his sight and presence in your ordinary course 9. Do you hate and forsake all known Sin Is there no beloved bosom-sin which you would spare and indulge 10. Particularly are you set against Hypocrisie a way of lying and walking by the crooked rule of carnal policy Sins more directly opposit to Uprightness and Sincerity 11. Have you a respect to all God's Commands 1 Have you a respect to both Tables Would you not despise the least of God's Commands 3 Do you look first and most to the greatest 4 Have you a respect to the hardest and such as are most cross to your natural inclination or carnal interest 12. Do you carry uprightly in holy Duties 1 Do you engage your Hearts to approach to God in Duty 2. Are you free in God's Service 3 Have you a special respect to God in Duty Do you look most at his approbation 4. Have you a love to secret Duties 5. And even to disgraced Duties and such as may expose you to Suffering 13. Are you steady and constant in an holy course 14. Are you pressing after Perfection 9. Try your Zeal 1. Have you a Zeal according to Knowledg 2. Does it burn within before it flames forth 3. Is it a Zeal for God indeed and not for self 4. Would it burn alone though you had none about you to encourage and blow it up 5. Are you zealous for the whole Interest of God 6. And zealous against all Sin Is your Zeal more than a partial Zeal 7. Yet is your Zeal hottest in the greatest matters 8. Is it joyned with Christian moderation and for Christian concord 9. Is it more moved with Indignities offered unto God than with injuries done to your selves 10. Is it joyned with real love and true compassion towards Sinners 11. Is it for expedition in God's Service 12. Does it make you free and lively in his Service 13. Does it sharpen your courage and resolution for God 14. Is it a pleasing sight to you to see others zealous for him 15. Have you an holy emulation a desire to imitate yea if it might be to outstrip those that are most forward 16. Is it not for a flash but a Fire that goes not out though it burns not at all times alike clearly yet is it still kept burning Find these gracious dispositions in truth in your selves and then you may have good hope through Grace and Joy unspeakable everlasting Consolation But many grosly deceive themselves holding the conclusion never look to the premises therefore 10. Try your Hope 1. Has it come in after doubts and fears 2. Have you any ground to hope it is a fruit of the Spirit Have you the Spirit 3. Is your Hope an Hope in God an Hope in God through Christ according to his Word 4. Is it not only an Hope in God but for him Is the enjoyment of God in Christ the to of your Hopes 5. Is your Hope accompanied with an holy Fear of God 6. And with sound Obedience doing the Will of God 7. And maintained by diligence and watchfulness 8. Does it quicken you to make progress in holiness 9. Does it produce Patience 10. And give courage 11. And raise your Hearts and Desires Heaven-ward 12. And excite praise and thankfulness 13. And further on Spiritual Joy 11. Try your Joy 1. Hath Godly Sorrow prepared and made way for it 2. Is it the Joy of the holy Ghost Have you the holy Spirit your Sanctifier Are you filled with Joy in believing 4. Was it attained or is it strengthened and maintained by serious self-examination and probation 5. Came it in the way of Prayer 6. Or in attendence on other of God's Ordinances 7. Is God your chief Joy Do you rejoyce in Christ Jesus 9. Are you most taken with Spiritual Mercies 10. Can you heartily rejoice in the good of others 11. Is your Joy in working Righteousness 12. Does it further enlarge your hearts in God's Service 13. Is it a special incentive to praise and thankfulness 14. Can it keep alive and keep you alive in outward troubles 15. Is it not swelling but accompanied with an humble frame of spirit 16. Is it not intoxicating but joyned with an holy fear care and watchfulness 17. Does it fit and incline you to encourage and comfort others in trouble 18. Does it set you more a longing after the Joys of Heaven Of Repentance This should have been inserted after the sum of Repentance in the Rehearsal Page 412. VIZ. ARe you no longer under the Dominion of Sin Do you see what a miserable bondage the service of Sin is Do you not so much desire to be exempted from Affliction as to be freed from your Corruptions Are you no longer for defending Sin or taking its part Would you pay no more Tribute to Sin no longer make provision for it Do you heartily resist the motions and commands of Sin Are your hearts turned to hate all known Sin Are you heartily devoted to the Service of God and Jesus Christ And now Reader if thou canst find it thus with thee thou mayest well rejoice in thy Portion Suppose thou hast never so little in the World yet happy thou who hast that better part which shall never be taken from thee The good Man may have satisfaction from within when no satisfaction is to be had from without The Fear of the Lord is his Treasure and such a Treasure as the World cannot rob him of And surely the gleanings or rather first Fruits of Heaven is better than the Vintage of the Earth Yea the least true santifying Grace will go further than all this Worlds goods A state of Grace is a short Preface to an everlasting State of Glory Canst thou prove thy Graces are of the right stamp Certainly they will prove thy title to Glory Now let it be thy care henceforth to grow in Grace and live in the constant exercise of Grace and so thou mayest have an abundant enterance into the Everlasting Kingdom FINIS
Now if you ask Can such a one fear God above all in whom carnal fear at any time prevailes The Answer is He may have the habit though the act for the present be suspended No Grace here is perfect And as our love to God sometimes lies buried as it were under carnal self-love and inordinate love to creatures yet so as it will have a resurrection and new quickning if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sound and sincere so our fear of God being imperfect may for a time be born down with carnal fear yet will it get the upper hand again The true fear of God overcomes ordinarily in its conflicts with carnal fear and though it may be giving ground sometimes it shall overcome at last As some of the Martyrs upon the first onset seemed to turn back but they came on again and so stood stoutly to it 4. The true fear of God may be known by the effects of it 1. One principal effect of the Fear of God is a flight from sin I say it will cause us to flee from sin As we read of Job chap. 1.1 that he was one that feared God and eschewed evil And Nehemiah chap. 5.15 so did not I he did not durst not do as others had done before him because of the Fear of God Pro. 16.6 By the Fear of the Lord Men depart from evil On the contrary Psa 36.1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart that there is no Fear of God before their eyes Though the wicked will not say so much with his lips yet indeed his Life proclaims it Though the Psalmist did not hear it in his words yet his works forced him to conclude that there was no Fear of God before his eyes They that forsake the Lord thereby shew that his Fear is not in them Jer. 2.19 such as care not to walk contrary to God it is plain they fear him not All impenitent Sinners that go on in their trespasses that persist in a course of rebellion they are so far from fearing God that they are daily sending up challenges to Heaven daring God's Power and Justice Psal 10.13 wherefore doth the wicked contemn God How unreasonable how impious how insufferable is it that wicked wretches should be so insolent to contemn God yet so it is the wicked are so far from reverencing that they plainly contemn God So he that being often reproved and threatned yet hardneth his neck by his impenitency by his incorrigibleness does even set God at defiance as if he bad him do his worst Remember this they that fear God fear to sin against him But you may ask further May we not avoid sin at least some sins and not from God's Fear Yea I grant it may be so But now if we forsake sin from a principle of Godly fear 1. In general we are departing from all known sin we dare not allow our selves in any sin we know of We knowing that all sin is displeasing to God if we fear to displease God we must fear to allow our selves in any sin Particularly 2. The Fear of God will cause us to flee from the Vices of the times as we discover them from sins that are most in fashion Let Swearing and Forswearing be never so much in fashion yet we shall fear an Oath if we fear God If all the World should wonder after and agree to worship the Beast yet so should not we because of the Fear of God No though we might seem to be left alone as Eljah thought he was Let a sin be never so much pleaded for countenanced and generally practised yet these things will not take with us while we hear God saying Oh do not this abominable thing which I hate if we have the Fear of God in our hearts and before our eyes Rather we shall have a greater care to keep our selves from such sins the stronger temptations we have to them 3. We shall fear sinning in secret too Knowing that God sees in secret that there is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves from him As Joseph said to his tempting Mistress How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God He was awed with God's all-seeing eye upon him as much as if the eyes of all the World had been upon him Lev. 19.14 Thou shalt not curse the Deaf nor put a stumbling-block before the Blind but shalt fear thy God If one does curse the Deaf he hears not if one puts a Stumbling-block before the Blind he sees not who he is that does it O but yet God hears and he sees And such as are endued with his Fear will not dare to commit sin upon this presumption that Men shall not know cannot find it out This would be a strong aw-band and powerful restraint ordinarily to keep them from deliberate sinning that they can commit no sin out of God's sight who cannot but be displeased at sin where ever he sees it 4. If we fear God and forsake Sin in his Fear then we shall fear to displease him in smaller matters too We shall fear to allow of the least Sin Though there are Sins of daily incursion that we cannot wholly avoid yet they not are allowed of As the Apostle says Rom. 7.15 That which I do I allow not If we sometimes speak vainly rashly or sometimes have our Passions sinfully moved if dulness and distractions over take us and disturb us in Holy Duties yet we can say we allow not of such things We are ashamed of them grieved and humbled for them and desire to watch against them 5. Again We shall fear sinning against God more than suffering from Men. As Chrysostom when threatned by Eudoxia said I fear nothing but Sin It we fear God we shall not fear Creatures so much 6. So we shall fear Sin more than the Scourge more than affliction Our fear is first and chiefly of offending and displeasing God and secondarily of the punishment That Fear which is not so much of the Sin and Offence as of the Lash and Scourge is but servile Fear 7. So we shall not only fear but also hate Sin As there is love in our Fear of God there will be hatred in our fear of Sin because so offensive and contrary to God Thus we shall not barely abstain from but abhor that which is evil Prov. 8.13 The Fear of the Lord is to hate evil Thus it will cause us to forsake Sin in practice and affection both Do we not know that not to hate Sin the abominable thing which God hates must needs be displeasing to God yea we are at least secretly in league with Sin so long as we do not hate it 2. Another chief effect of true Fear is subjection to the Will of God Obedience to his Commands Hereby we must try the soundness of our Faith As that which is called Faith Gal. 5.6 is called The keeping the Commandments of God 1 Cor. 7.19
Hereby we must try the sincerity of our Love This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments 1 Joh. 5.3 So hereby we must try the genuineness of our Fear Eccl. 12.13 Fear God and keep his Commandments Psal 119.63 And 103.17 18. They that fear God are further described to be such as keep his Covenant and remember his Commandments to do them Here. Note 1. Where the Fear of God is there will be a fearing reverencing of his Commands Pro. 13.13 Who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the Commandment shall be rewarded One that feareth God dares not despise his Commands At least if he has done it as we read of David 2 Sam. 12.10 when he comes to see it he cannot but loath himself And observe the reward is promised not to the bare performance of things commanded not to meer external obedience but to that obedience which flows from a due respect to the Authority of God commanding Not to that which is meerly from fear of the threatning but to that which is out of reverence and an aweful respect to the Command it self He that feareth the Commandment shall be rewarded Many fear God's threatnings that do not reverence his Commands But such as tremble at the Word Isa 66.2 suchas have a reverent regard to the whole Word of God such as tremble at the Commandment of our God as Ezr. 10.3 they have a right Fear of God The Psalmist did not stand in that awe to Princes as to God's Word Psal 119.161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word Thus those three Princes and Worthies Dan. 3.16 18. shewed that they feared God indeed when they regarded not the King's Decree being contrary to the Law of God So Daniel chap. 6.13 2. When there is a true Child-like Fear of God there is not only a reverencing of his Commands above the Commands of Men but also a delight in God's Commands As a Child-like reverence is a mixt affection a compound of both And this Note we have in the Text Blessed is the Man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments That is better pleased in doing the will of God than in doing or having his own will So Psal 119.161 162. My heart standeth in awe of thy Word But that is not all I rejoyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoil As a dutiful Child not only fears to go cross to his Fathers command but is also glad when he can do any thing pleasing to his Father So a Child of God obeyeth from the heart and delighteth to do God's will That obedience which is from a slavish fear is forced and extorted As Saul said I forced my self and offered a burnt offering To allude to the expression some force themselves and go to God's Worship force themselves and set up prayer in their Families c. not that they have any love to such work but because otherwise their Consciences are not quiet Whereas that Obedience which is from a filial Fear is free and voluntary As the Psalmist could say Psal 119.167 168 173. My Soul hath kept thy Testimonies and I love them exceedingly For all my ways are before thee I have chosen the way of thy Precepts 3. The true Fear of God will cause an impartial respect to all God's Commands 1 Sam. 12.24 Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart Deut. 10.12 To fear the Lord and to walk in all his wayes go to gether Pro. 14.2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord but he that is perverse in his ways dispiseth him To walk in uprightness is a sure note that one fears the Lord. So we read of Job That Man was perfect and upright and one that feared God chap. 1.1 But to halt in our course to be set upon any crooked paths which we know to be cross and contrary to God's Commands is to despise the Lord. Num. 15.30 31. The Soul that doth ought presumptuously the same reproacheth the Lord he hath despised the Word of the Lord. The Soul that doth ought presumptuously that Sciens volens knowingly and wittingly transgresseth that sinneth with an high hand proudly wilfully resolvedly the same reproacheth the Lord he is a proud blasphemous contemner of the Lord. He hath manifestly despised the Word of the Lord. To despise any known Command of his is not to fear but to contemn the Lord. But on the other hand the Lord sayes of Abraham Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thine only Son from me Now I know speaking after the manner of Men. Herein Abraham gave a most clear proof of his Fear of the Lord. That he was so ready at God's Command to offer up his Isaac a Sacrifice this was an evident testification that he feared God So as we would shew that we truly fear God we must be ready to obey him in whatsoever he commandeth 4. The Fear of God will produce a continued constant respect to God and his Commands That we shall walk in his Fear As Act. 9.31 Neh. 5.9 Ought ye not to walk in the Fear of our God Pro. 23.17 Be thou in the Fear of the Lord all the day Totâ die there is as much as quotidie vel omni die All the day that is continually every day Pro. 28.14 Happy is the man that feareth alway Jer. 32.39 40. I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever I will put my Fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Such as have the true Fear of God in their hearts will not depart from him There is a Fear that drives Souls from God But true genuine Fear will keep a Soul close to him will make it careful not to start aside from him The Fear of the Lord is a fountain of life it is not a transient passion but an abiding principal 3. Another Effect or if you will one special Act of true Fear is an holy Reverence in God's Worship Psal 5.7 In thy Fear will I Worship And there is no Worship acceptable without Reverence An inward Reverence is as the Soul of Divine Worship Some distinguish holy Fear in timorem cultûs et culpae into a Reverence in worshipping and a fear of offending How ever these may be distinguished they cannot be separated or divided Sure they have not a Fear of offending God that have not an holy Fear and reverence in his Worship They that grosly neglect God's Worship plainly shew themselves to be void of his Fear Job 15.4 Thou castest off Fear and restrainest Prayer before God Though it was falsly charged on Job this yet will hold true they that cast off Prayer c. thereby shew that they have cast off God's Fear And they are little better who are grosly negligent and without any inward Reverence in his Worship If