Earth Prov. 8. 13. The fear of the Lord is 〈◊〉 â—vil Prov. 16. 6. By Prov. 8. 13. 16. 6. the fear of the Lord 〈…〉 from evil That man feareth the Lord 〈◊〉 â—â—th not only a reverence and dread of â—od upon his heart but in whom this dread worketh to make the person that hath it to take heed of every sin and to perform every duty to avoid all that the Lord forbiddeth and to do all that God commandeth This it is for a man or woman to fear Jehovah But you will say â—â— this be so where is that person to be found of whom this can be predicated or how shall any person satisfie himself that he is by the fear of the Lord distinguished from another This is a great question and the Holy Ghost having thought fit to express the whole of Grace and Godliness by this notion the resolution of it will exceedingly tend to the satisfaction of such souls as thirst after righteousness To which purpose now I shall lay down some few Conclusions which will open this thing to you 1. A true fear of God in what soul soever it is found is not only the product of sense but the operation of faith This is one great and material difference betwixt that fear and dread of God which may be found in a natural man and that which is sound in every true child of God There is a terrour and awe and dread of God which as I told you before sometimes seizeth the hearts of the greatest Atheists and most debaucht wretches in the Earth But this dread is ordinarily but the effect and product of sense the poor wretch seeth some terrible work of God and trembleth or feeleth something of the weight of Gods hand Hence as soon as the impression is off his sense the fear and dread of God is also off his heart And thus it will be with all that fear which is but the product of sense The natural mans fear is not at all caused from faith neither from the habit of faith which is within us nor from the object of saith which is without us I mean the Word of God he doth not fear God because of what the holy Scriptures tell him concerning God he believeth not that But now the fear of God in a gracious soul is the issue of saith A Christian knows the Scripture and what that revealeth concerning God and now the Lord having by his Spirit wrought up his soul to give a firm and stedfast assent to what is revealed in his Word he feareth the great God as much when he seeth or feeleth nothing of the greatness of his power in his works of Providence as when he is under the greatest demonstrations of sense It is the precept of Solomon Prov. 23. 17. Be thou in the fear of the Lord at all times Indeed he that is not in the fear of the Lord at all times doth truly fear the Lord at no time for where fear is the operation and fruit of saith the effect is as abiding and permanent as the cause now the cause of the fear of the Lord in that person is his firm assent to what is revealed in the holy Scriptures concerning God The Word of the Lord abiding the same for ever and the Propositions in it having an eternal verity and the seed of God also once cast in the soul abâ—ding at all timâ—s in it it is impossible but this soul should have a fear and dread of God upon his heart in health as well as in sickness in prosperity as well as in adversity in a time of the greatest liberty as well as in a time of the greatest straits when the Providence of God may propose the greatest objects of terrour unto him If the soul of any at all times dreadeth and reverenceth the great God of Heaven and Earth and that by reason of what the Word of God revealeth and it believeth concerning him this is an excellent sign that the true fear of God is in that soul Though it is true the various workings of Divine Providence may make this fear as to the servile part of it higher and greater at some one time than at another 2. Although the true fear of the Lord in any soul be not consistent with a course of deliberate sinning against God and defying the Divine Majesty yet it is confistent in the same soul with many sinnings both of ignorance and of infirmity If there were none feared God but such as were wholly free from sin there were no such excellent person in the world as I have been discoursing of For who liveth and sinneth not against God But I must open this General 1. I say the fear of God is not in any soul consistent with open defiances of the Divine Majesty or constant courses of deliberate sinning There are some in the world that live in an open defiance of Heaven the Atheistical blasphemer the prophane swearer and curser and such like eminent sinners Every one that cometh near them may say the fear of God is not in these persons No nor with any course of deliberate or presumptuous finning when a man is free and under no height of temptation to do this or that thing which he knoweth to be what God hath forbidden him to do and yet he will do it and doth do it and that not once only but again and again from one day to another making a course of it how dwelleth the fear of God in that soul God hath said he that doth these things shall die he shall be plagued in this life and he shall die eternally The poor wretch knoweth this and yet presumptuously doth these things how can the dread or fear of God be in any judgement of charity judged to dwell in this soul 2. But I say the fear of God is consistent in the soul with much sin either sins of ignorance or sins of infirmity Experience teacheth this 1. For sins of ignorance a servant may truly fear his master and a child his father and yet they may both do many things that their superiours would not have done if they do not persectly know their will It is so betwixt the child and servant of God and his Father and Master which is in Heaven 2. I say it is also consistent with much sinning of weakness and infirmity Sins of infirmities are of two sorts 1. Such as are of pure weakness and infirmity which are failures in such things as through our natural weakness and impotency we cannot perform 2. Such as are mixt with something of wilfulness but yet the great cause of our admission of them is some original weakness and infirmity in us Such now are those sins which we commit upon the prevalence of some affection or passion in us whether love or fear or anger c. Lust prevailed on David fear on Peter and truly it is hard to say what sin that is which upon this account a soul truly fearing
David You will find these words to be a part of his dying speech Although my house be not so with God that is not so spotlâ—ss as the morning when the Sun ariseth when the Sun ariseth without clouds yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant well ordered and sure in all things for this is my desire and salvation although he make it not to grow The words speak much of Davids adherence and strong fiducial application of his soul to the Covenant but little of a fulness of joy and peace I think we may determine thus much that if David did ever recover his fulness of peace the Scripture hath not recorded it that we might learn to serve the Lord with fear and to walk before him with trembling yet neither is this the Lords constant dealing Peter denyed his Master cursed and sware yet afterward Christ shewed him special favour After Christs resurrection the Angel bid Go tell his Disciples and Peter that he went before them into Galilee Mark 16. 7. Divines think those words and Peter are put in to assure Peter under some dejection by reason of his fall of the Lords favour to him notwithstanding his backshding Peter was designed for a great service of his Master in the work of the Gospel to which a sad and dejected spirit would not a little have discomposed him Thus much may serve for the second Proposition which I told you was no more than implied The third follows While a child of God doth not behold the face 3 Prop. of God it is his duty to watch for it Two terms must here be opened 1. That of beholding Gods face 2. That of watching for it There is a twofold beholding of Gods face 1. By faith in righteoussness 2. By sense in assurance 1. There is a beholding of God by faith Faith in Scripture is sometimes expressed to us by the action of the mouth He that eateth my flesh Joh. 6. 54. and drinketh my blood saith our Saviour dwelleth in me and I in him Sometimes by the action of the hand by receiving and laying Joh. 1. 12. hold upon Christ and the Covenant To as many as received him he gave power to be called the Heb. 6. 18. Prov. 3. 18. John 6. 35 37. Sons of God Sometimes by the action of the feet Coming so often in Scripture Come unto me you that are weary and heavy laden and he that cometh unto me I will in no wise Isa 50. 10. Cant. 3. 8. Psal 37. 7. Zech. 12. 10. cast away And so in many other texts Sometimes by the actions of the whole man thus it is called a staying a leaning a trusting resting committing our selves unto God So also sometimes it is expressed by the action of the eye Now by this vision of faith it is impossible that one should be a bâ—liever and not see God Indeed the fight of this eye may possibly at sometimes be clearer and quicker than at other times it may sometimes be more full and bright at another time more dim and weak and imperfect but faith is this very visive faculty if I may so speak and a child of God must thus behold the face of God though not actually or not gradually to such a degree at one time as at another yet habitually it must alwaies have a power thus to behold God though sometimes it exerts it more seebly sometimes more strongly yet more or less a gracious soul in this sense at all times doth behold the Lords face even in its darkest hours Isa 8. 17 I will wait upon him who hidâ—s his face from the house of Jacâ—b and I will look for him 2. There is another Vision which I called the Vision of Sense which is the beholding of the Lords face in the reflections of divine love for this David prayes Psal 4. 6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and often in the Psalms Make thy face to shine upon us Now in this sense as I have shewed you it is very possible that Gods dearest children may not see his face and this is that beholding the Lords face of which the Proposition is to be understood during the ecclipse or want whereof it is the duty of the child of God to watch for his likeness So I told you here the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be and is sometimes in Scripture translated so By the Likeness of God I understand as before either his likeness in us which the Apostle calleth the Image of God in knowledge righteousness and holiness or Gods sensible manifestations of himself when a believer wants these when he cannot bebold the face of God in such sweet apprehensions it is even then his duty to watch for Gods likeness for Gods likeness in either sense as it signifieth both holiness and comfort I say to watch for it it is a metaphorical expression and signifies 1. Negation of sleep 2. Industrious dilâ—gence to keep our selves in a capacity fit to receive what we desire 3. Patient expectation 1. He who watcheth sleepeth not It is an ordinary metaphor in holy Writ to express death and sinning by sleep the latter only is here meant So saith the Spouse I sleep but my heart waketh 2 Thes 5. 6. Let us not 2 Thes 5. 6. sleep as do others Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead And look as it is in sleeping None lives and sleepeth not Eph. 5. 14. Some set themselves to sleep some strive against it sometimes yet fall asleep through heaviness Some by some more for in means are made to sleep So it is as to fin some are greater sinners sleep more than others but none liveth and sinneth not against God but one man sinneth wilfully and presumptuously sets himself to sin his life is nothing eâ—e another sets himself against sin yet through that heaviness which is in him from original corruption the remainder of the body of death he often falleth asleep and sometimes through Rom. 7. 23 24. the methods devices and depths of Satan and the allurements of the world as from so many sleepy potions given him he falls into a sleep Now he who watcheth in a spiritual sense doth not sleep in the first sense according to that of the Apostle He that is born of God sinneth not The child of God in his dark hours ought to take heed of wilful sinning against God thougâ— he walks in the dark of a divine desertion yet he ought to take heed of a sinful conversation he must be able to say with David I am become like a bottle Psal 119. 83. in the smoak yet do I not forget thy Statutes And with the Church All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined Psa 44. 17 18 19. from thy way though thou hast sore broken us
truth in the Scripture but I mean that faith which the Apostle calls The faith of Gods Elect Justifying faith It was indeed an unwary description which some ancient Divines gave of justifying faith calling it a full perswasion of the Love of God and it may be much occasioned by the heat of their opposition to the jejune faith of Papists who would make justifying faith to be assent to the Proposition of the Word it is likely their so describing justifying faith gave too much advantage to the Antinomian notion who to this day will understand nothing of faith under plerophory or full perswasion but undoubtedly the act of justifying faith lyes lower in receiving Christ believing in him relying upon him committing our selves unto him c. Nor can the other be the act of faith that justifieth being not to be found but in souls that are justified For how can any soul whom God doth not love in Jesus Christ be fully and justly perswaded of his love Now the Lord loveth the righteous until the soul be made righteous through the imputed righteousness of Christ it can be no object of divine love That soul who hath opened his Will through divine grace to receive and embrace Christ as tendered in the Gospel that is perswaded to rest hang trust rely commit its self to him and him alone for salvation that soul truly believeth Now this the soul doth that watcheth for Gods likeness though it want sensible comforts Nay this faith is strong faith It is the note of a late eminent servant of God that faith is so much the stronger by how much the fewer externals it needs to support it It was said of Abraham that he was strong in the Rom. 4. 18 19 20 21. faith giving glory to God Wherein did the strength of Abrahams faith appear v. 18. He staggered not at the promise he against hope believed in hope he had nothing of sense to help his faith his faith stood meerly upon the strength of the word he had a word of promise and he staggered not at the promise he was so far from having any help to his faith from sense that he had all the discouragement and hinderance imaginable the matter to be believed was that God would give him a Son for this he had the word of God Thou shalt have a Son saith God his wife was past child-bearing her womb was dead insomuch that she laughed when she Gen. 18. 12. heard the promise and said Shall I of a surety bear a child who am old Abraham himself was beyond the age in which ordinarily children are begot he was an hundred years old But though he had no incouragement but all imaginable discouragement from sense both on his own and on his wives part yet saith the Apostle he distrusted not he staggered not at the promise through unbelief Thus he was strong in faith and thus he gave glory to God saith the Apostle giving him the honour of his power of his truth and faithfulness c. and this faith was imputed to him for righteousness v. 21 22. Now if the weakest faith being true be sufficient to carry the soul to Heaven much more shall a strong faith such a faith as that of Abraham the Father of the faithful do it 6. Lastly Will it not satisfie thee Christian to tell thee thou art blessed I have a good warrant to do that Joh. 20. 19. They are the words of our Saviour to Thomas Thou hast seen saith our Lord therefore thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet believed You are even out of Christs mouth more blessed believing when you do not see than those are who see and therefore believe But I shall enlarge no more upon this first ground of satisfaction for Christians walking in the dark and seeing no light I proceed to the second from the word considered as it signifies to awake 2. It ought to satisfie Christians walking in the dark as to sensible consolations to consider that when in the resurrection they shall awake they shall be satisfied with the likeness of God There is nothing more needful for the explication of the Proposition than I have already said in the opening of some or other of the Propositions In short the substance of what I intend is this that if it so pleaseth God that any child of his should not only spend a great part of his life without any sensible comforts any witnessings of the Spirit to his spirit Nay if the Lord should call him to die without such sensible evidences yet he ought not to repine or murmure against God but to be silent before him and trust in him chearfully considering that though he dieth he shall rise again from the dead and in the resurrection he shall be fully and abundantly satisfied with Gods full and glorious manifestations of himself unto him when he shall be blessed in the full and glorious enjoyment of God to all eternity 1. This is that which God hath agreed with us for this is the penny for which he hath contracted But of this I spake before 2. This is infinitely more than any child of God hath merited or can merit at Gods hand It will be a great piece of the work of the Saints in Heaven to admire that rich and infinite grace which hath brought them thither Yea though we should never see Gods face till we come in Heaven yet we shall see free grace magnified in bringing us thither at last 3. Lastly The satisfaction which the soul shall meet with when it comes in Heaven will be infinitely more than will make us amends for all the dissatisfactions all the hours of sadness and darkness we have met with in this life and infinitely more than will recompence us for all our faith and hope all our watchings and waitings for and upon God For our duties we value them above the Scripture rate if we count them better than menstrous cloths and filthy raggs or reckon that they deserve any thing at the hand of God other than wrath and shame and confusion of faith And saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 18. Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Every one of you would easily determine this were I able to shew you but a little of those things which eye hath not seen nor hath ear heard nor can 2 Cor. 13. 12. 1 Thes 1. 17. 1 Joh. 3. 2. it enter into the heart of man to conceive To open to you what it is to be ever with the Lord to see him face to face to see him as be is to be like the Angels in Heaven to have our bodies made like unto his glorious body and our corruptible to put on incorruption I say were I able to open these and other expressions by which it hath pleased the Holy Ghost in Scripture to express
the Lord hath nothing in it will deceive but much that is of real and abiding worth and that which maketh the person possessed of it truly worthy of honour and commendation The second part of the Text I called an Advertisement or admonition to the world to take notice of such persons and to give them their due honour Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates I shall little insist on that I intend not to discourse every Proposition into which the words of my Text might regularly be resolved There are onely two which my eye is upon which I think contain much of the will of God revealed in this Text other things in it will fâ—ll in more collaterally they are these Of all persons or of all women the person the woman fearing the Lord is the most excellent person Propos 1. or most excellent woman That concerning such it is the will of God Propos 2. that the fruit of their hands should be given them and their own works should praise them in the gates The Demonstration of the truth of the first Proposition is what I intend for the chief subject of my discourse something of the latter will fall in in the application of my discourse This then is the Proposition Prop. That of all persons of all women in the world that person that woman that feareth the Lord is the most excellent person Many saith Solomon have done vertuously but thou hast excelled them all thou hast made thy self to ascend above them all She shall be praised In the opening of this Proposition 1. I will enquire into the true notion of the person here extolled A woman fearing the Lord or A woman the fear of the Lord according to the Hebrew phrase which as I shall anon shew you is not without its Emphasis Thus I shall open the subject of the Proposition 2. I shall indeavour to demonstrate the Superlative excellency of this Person above others So I shall confirm the Praedicate and under these two heads I shall bring whatsoever I shall speak to the Proposition before I come to the Application of it 1. The first thing to be inquired is Who is this woman fearing the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it in the Hebrew this I shall open to you in three particulars In the Hebrew the Abstract is put for the Saepius abstractum ponitur prâ— concreto seu substantivum pro adjectivo cum insigni Emphasi energiâ Glassius Concrete which argueth a great Emphasis It is in the Hebrew very Emphatical word for word A woman the fear of the Lord. Some think it a meer Ellipsis of the Verb Substantive and to be expounded by Cui est that is A woman that hath the fear of the Lord. But others more probably think there is in this way of expression a special Emphasis and that it signifieth an eminent degree of that quality or adjunct which is so exprest in the subject to which it is applied A way of speaking very familiar to the Hebrew tongue Thus Haggai 2. 8. Christ is called The desire of all Hag. 2. 8. Nations that is eminently desirable Thus a Shepherd is said to have been an Abomination Gen. 46. 34 to the Egyptians Gen. 46. 34. that is highly abominable his employment such as the Egyptians above all others detest So Psal Psal 140. 12. 140. 12. Let not an evil speaker Heb. a man of tongue be established Nor is it unusual in other languages Thus in Latine we call one Scelus that is eminently vile in English we call one a Beauty that is eminently Beautiful So here a woman the fear of the Lord that is a woman eminently fearing the Lord. So that whatsoever qualities we shall find in Scripture expressed under this common head of the fear of the Lord or whatsoever actions we shall find according to the phrase of holy writ expressed under that notion this form of expression signifieth a person eminent for those qualities or in those exercises and the phrase signifieth much more than an ordinary dread of God To open this yet a little further 1. There is a natural dread of God which all creatures have and the worst of men are not without something of it For fear being in us a passion necessarily moving upon the apprehension of an imminent evil As the infinite superiority of God over his creatures makes every rational creature presently apprehend it in his power to do it harm it must necessarily dread him especially considering the natural conscience of guilt which every such creature hath exposing it to the stroke of his just as well as almighty Arm. 2. There is a slavish fear of God such the Devils have they fear and tremble saith the Apostle this doth but gradually differ from the other 3. There is a filial reverential fear of God like that wherewith the child feareth his Father The Angels have a reverential fear of God though they know themselves confirmed in goodness and in no possibility of offending him yet they fear God with a reverential fear arising from the apprehension of the superlative excellencie of the great Creatour above the first-born and most excellent of his Creatures Thus the children of God fear him and not only with a reverential fear but with a filial fear they fear lest they should offend him This last is the most excellent fear of God Now of it there are different degrees according to the different manifestations of the Spirit of God to his Saints and Christians different proficiencies in grace Now this way of expressing this excellent quality signifieth One possessed of the most excellent kind of fear and also in the most eminent degree And this I take to be the particular Emphasis and Energy of the term in this place 2. Secondly It is a known Rule in Divinity That words in holy Writ signifying any notions of the senses and affections yea and of the intellectual part also there used must be understood not to denote only the particular acts of that sense Verba sensus affectum effectum denotant or faculty which they properly express but all the actions and the deportment of the whole soul and outward man also which are any way directed by that sense or regulated by that affection or passion and our duty in order to it or consequently from it Without the true understanding of this Rule we shall not be able fully to comprehend the true sense of an infinite number of Scriptures Thus it is said Psal 1. 6. with reference to God that he knoweth the way of the Righteous The meaning Psal 1. 6. is he loveth approveth watcheth over the way of the righteous Thus Psal 16. Thou Psal 16. wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption that is to corrupt to experience corruption So John 8. Abraham saw my day and rejoyced John 8. the meaning is
King 21. 19 20 21. to tell him in short that God would ruine him and his family and all that belonged to him v. 27. Ahab hears those words he rends his cloths puts sackcloth upon his flesh fasteth lyeth in sackcloth and goes softly Here 's the best of a carnal man if his dread of God in his Judgements worketh thus far and to a temporary abstaining from some gross sins it is all you read not a word of Ahabs tending to inquire of the Lord not a word of any cordial humiliation or resolved reformation 2 King 22. 11. Josiah findeth the Book of the Law and heareth there of the wrath of God he rends his cloths so did Ahab but he resteth not here v. 13. He tends to inquire of the Lord for him and for the people and for all Judah c. was this all No chap. 23. He sets upon a real and effectual reformation with all his might Thus you see how the dread and awe of God upon the heart of a child of God doth not drive him from God but unto him it doth not stupifie but quicken him it doth not put him upon a formal temporary particular reformation but upon a fixed real general reformation Pharaohs fear flartled him and put him upon sending to Moses to pray for him and put him upon some good thoughts and resolutions at present but yet Pharaoh notwithstanding this was one who feared not the Lord. But thus much may serve to have spoken to this branch of Application I come now to the last branch I will shut up this discourse with a few words of Exhortation I will reduce all to three particulars 1. To such as have not this fear of God in Exhort their hearts to perswade them to labour for it 2. To such as have this fear of God to perswade them 1. To labour to grow in this habit and exercise 2. To live like excellent persons and to shew they have this excellent blessing 3. Lastly To the men of the world in general to perswade them 1. To an undervaluing of all other excellencies 2. To a true value of this excellent thing and these excellent persons 3. To give them of the fruit of their hands and to suffer their works to praise them in the gates In the first place let me press a word of 1 Branch Exhortation upon such as yet fear not Goâ— to perswade them to it It is a frequent precept in holy Writ Levit. 19. 14. Fear thy God I am the Lord ch 25. v. 17. 43. Eccles 5. 7. Matth. 10. 28. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Rev. 14. 7. Eccles 12. 13. God calls to you Fear God Solomon calls to you Fear God Our Saviour calls to you Fear him that can cast both body and soul into Hell fire The Angels in Heaven call to you Fear God All the Prophets and Apostles call to you unâvoce and this is that which they say Fear God The meaning of this you have heard Not only dread the great and living God in the secrets of your hearts but let all your conversation savour of this fear so comport your selves in your whole carriage both towards God and towards your neighbours as you may evidence to the world not only that you have a natural sense of that infinite distance which is between your Creatour and you and the power that he hath over you but that you may shew that you have this gracious habit of fear wrought in you and that you fear God in the Scripture phrase You see this is a great picce of the will of God concerning you pressed upon you again and again in holy Writ Give me leave to inlarge a little in pressing it upon you I shall first give you some Arguments Secondly I shall offer you some directions in the case from the text And what I have said furnisheth me with two great Arguments 1. This is Wisdom This is Grace Job 28. 28. â—â—e fear of the Lord that is wisdom Prov. 1. 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge That man who hath nothing of the fear of God in him hath nothing of God nothing of the Grace of God in him On the other side that person who hath in him the fear of God hath all that is an holy that is a gracious man There can be no more said of any than that he or she are persons not fearing God Nor can there be better said of any that he or she is a person fearing God 2. Secondly You have heard a person fearing God is the most excellent person in the world Favour is deceitful Beauty is vain but a woman fearing the Lord she shall be praised Others may call themselves excellent and the men of the world may call the proud happy but the truly happy the truly excellent person is one fearing God I might add a third 3. This is the only person who deserveth to be praised and whose works will truly praise him Let others be commended and admired for beauty for riches and honour and another for learning as the end of all is to fear God and keep his Commandments So that person that truly answereth this end and doth fear God and keep his Commandments will upon the best evidence which is that of Scripture and reason appear to be the person that is most worthy of praise and commendation Now if I could say no more than this to engage any to this study yet in other things this would be enough Every one naturally desireth the things that are excellent and is naturally covetous of honour and praise Would you have that which is in it self most excellent that which will make you above all others excellent that which most truly deserveth praise and will make you the truest objects of praise Oh get this fear of the Lord Give me leave to add another Argument or two 4. In the fourth place Consider the many Promises made in Scripture to the fear of the Lord Prov. 10. 27. The fear of the Lord prolongeth daies Prov. 14. 26 27. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death Prov. 15. 16. Little with the fear of the Lord is great gain v. 33. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom Prov. 19. 23. The fear of the Lord tendeth to life ch 22. 4. By the fear of the Lord are riches Psal 112. Psal 128. are full of Promises to the man that feareth God The things promised in these and those many other Promises annexed to the fear of the Lord are such as every one defireth Who would not have long life riches and honour Either you believe the Scriptures or you do not believe them if you believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God you must assent to whatsoever Propositions are revealed in them as Propofitions of eternal and
from thy presence He had not lately heard from God but prayes for an answer of his prayers v. 1 2 6. Attend unto my cry give ear unto my prayer c. He was under a great temptation being poor and empty when his enemies were both rich and full v. 14. The text speaks him under some dissatisfaction This makes it probable that this Psalm was composed during his persecution by Saul or disturbances from the rebellion of Absolom and most likely it was during the latter period of time he being then more under the ecclipse of divine light by reason of his sin which had occasioned him those great disturbances of his life according to what Nathan told him from God This was his state what now doth he in this perplexity 1. He prayes 2. He believes Athanasius noteth right that this Psalm is full of faith In the text you have the holy mans resolution in this great stress of Providence As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness c. You have in the text 1. Davids Resolution I will behold thy face in righteousness 2. Davids Incouragement and Satisfaction I shall be satisfied when I awake or in watching for with thy likeness It will be necessary I should spend some time in opening the words for we shall find some difficulty in them and that like Spices when they are bruised they will send forth a more fragrant smell After that I shall raise such Observations as are clear in the words and pitch upon some of them for the subject of my discourse But as for me These words which make Antithesis est qua David opponit spem suam spei impiorum Mollerius V. Musc West merum Engl. Annot. Piscat ad loc the Antithesis are not in the Hebrew but it is plain that they or some others of like imporâ— must be supplied to make up the sense according to our English Idiome for it is evident that there is a latent Antithesis in these words David declaring his resolution and satisfaction in opposition to that of his wicked enemies mentioned v. 14. Their bellies were filled with hid treasure they had their portion in this life they were full of children and left the rest to their babes this satisfied them But as for me saith David if I had all these things if I were full of riches full of treasure it would not satisfie me Piscator parallels it with that of David Psal 4. 6. Psal 4. 6. There be many who will say shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me So here Let the wicked enjoy their portions in this life let their bellies be Fruantur improbi suis bonis c. Lorinus ad loc filled with their hid treasure let them have a plenty of substance and leave the rest to their babes and let them if they will walk proudly As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I I find some questioning whether the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalmist speaks this of himself or of some other Hierom thinks that he speaks of Christ He indeed first beheld his Fathers face in righteousness and it is in him that we can so behold it he also was the first fruits of them that sleep and awaking in the Resurrection he was satisfied with his Fathers V. August ad loc likeness It is eminently true of him but doubtless though this text mystically may respect Christ and morally concerneth every child of God yet literally it respecteth David who is first concerned in it Will behold thy face in righteousness In righteousness The question is what righteousness here the Psalmâ—st intendeth If the text were according to Hierom to be understood of Christ the Righteousness could be no other than his own active and passive obedience to the whole will of God But I said before the resolution doubtless is Davids and an analogous resolution is the duty of every true child of God We must make a further inquiry This term Righteousness is in Scripture taken in several senses but as applicable to our purpose there is 1. A Justifying Righteousness by which our souls stand righteous before God This righteousness saith the Apostle is revealed from Rom. 1. 17. Faith to Faith This is called the righteousness which is of God and our righteousness Christs righteousness as to the personal performance of it Gods righteousness as to the imputation of it it is he reckoneth it to us for righteousness the righteousness of faith as faith is that hand which layeth hold upon it and applieth Ours as imputed and applied to us Surely shall one Isa 45. 24. say in the Lord I have righteousness and strength The Prophet Isaiah sang of old Their righteousness is of me saith the Lord. Thus was the name of Christ prophesied of The Lord our Righteousness And the Apostle saith He was made of God for us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption And St. Paul 1 Cor. 1. 30. desireth to be found in Christ not having his own righteousness but that which is of God Indeed in this Righteousness alone can we behold the reconciled face of God either in this life or that which is to come God as Joseph said to his Brethren Bring your Brother Benjamin or see my face no more hath said to us ever since the fall Bring me the Righteousness of Christ or see my face no more This was that White Robe with which John in the Revelations Rev. 7. 14. saw the Elders clothed the meaning was no more than that they had washed their garments in the blood of the Lamb. Nor was David ignorant of this it was he that sang of imputed Righteousness Psal 32. 1 2. Psa 32. 1 2. Saying Blessed is he whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered and to whom the Lord imputeth no sin I will not exclude this from the sense of the text 2. But secondly there is also a Righteousness of Sanctification and so Righteousness is in Scripture taken either in a more Legal or in a more Evangelical notion Legal Righteousness lieth in a perfect fulfilling of the whole Law of God in thought word and deed The stain of the least sin destroyeth this David cannot mean this Thus the Apostle tells us and tells it us out of David There is none righteous no not one And David tells us so much of his sins as may assure us this was not in his thoughts The righteous falleth seven times in a day and who can tell how often he offendeth David knew his own heart too well to think he had such a proportion of this Web as would make him a long white Robe wherein to stand before that God who chargeth his Angels with folly and is of purer eyes than to behold any iniquity The Apostle saith That he who keepeth the whole Law Jam. 2. 10. and offendeth but in one point is guilty of all And surely
We translate it when I shall awake there 's no material difference I will begin with the first which is something different from our English I shall be satisfied in watching or while I watch for thy likeness Thus this very word is translated Ezek. 7. 6. An end is come it watcheth for thee I confess I am loth to exclude this sense of the words I' shall be satisfied in watching for thy likeness Watching is but an empty hungry action and gives the soul no satisfaction but here 's the difference betwixt watching for the world and watching for God As to worldly things Hope deferred makes the heart sick as to God it is not so A watching and waiting for God brings a proportionable satisfaction It ought in a great measure to satisfie a gracious soul in his hours of darkness if he doth but find God inabling him to watch for his likeness 2. But the word is otherwise translated and properly enough in waking or when I shall awake or be made to awake Thus the word is often translated in Scripture Psal 3. 6. and in many other texts Psal 3. 6. 1. Some apply this to God as if it should be when thou awakest Indeed the Hebrew is no more than in awaking or in being made to awake When thy faithfulness shall awake V. Vicars ad locum say they I shall be satisfied with thy likeness Indeed when God seemeth to us not to take care and regard his people he is said to sleep by a figure for he neither slumbereth nor sleepeth and the holy Psalmist calleth to him as to one asleep Awake why Psa 44. 23. sleepest thou O Lord God is said to sleep when according to humane sense and apprehension he carrieth himself toward his people like a man that is asleep and in a conformity of phrase when he turns his hand and appears for his people then he is said to awake and when God thus awakes his people use to be satisfied with his appearances for them But though there be a truth in this yet I do not think it the sense of the text 2. Others as I noted before making the words to be the words of Christ understand them of his Resurrection Our Saviour knew that when he by death had satisfied Divine Justice by the accursed death and born the brunt of his Fathers wrath he should awake the third day by a glorious Resurrection and having conquered death and satisfied justice he should again behold his Fathers face clear from all clouds and frowns ascending up on high and sitting on the right hand of God This is Hierom's notion of the text but doubtless the text is not to be so restrained 3. I agree therefore with those who make these words the words of holy David promising himself satisfaction with the image or likeness of God when he should awake 1. By his awaking I find some understanding his recovery and deliverance from that afflicted state in which at present he was Indeed the time of affliction is a time of night and often in Scripture is expressed under the notion of darkness which gives advantage to this interpretation which both Calvin and Mollerus favour thinking it by others applied to the Resurrection argutè magis quà m propriè more subtilly than properly According to them the sense is this At present it is night with me and I am as it were asleep and in a bed of trial and affliction but I know that this shall not be to me a dead sleep Though I am fallen yet I shall rise again though I be asleep I shall awake again and when Gods time cometh I shall be satisfied with the manifestations of his love and the evidences of his favour to me But with all due respect to those Interpreters whom this sense pleaseth I rather incline to those who interpret this awaking of the Resurrection To make it clear 1. It is plain it is a figurative expression Waking you know hath a reserence to sleeping Now sleep in Scripture is taken literally so it signifieth the locking or binding up of the exteriour senses and waking is the freeing of the senses in which sense it cannot be taken here though I meet with some who think that David here speaketh as a Prophet expecting the visions of the morning 2. Or else it is taken figuratively so it is very often used to express death Our friend Lazarus sleepeth Joh. 11. 11. The Maid saith our Saviour is not dead but sleepeth And when Stephen died it is said he fell asleep I find this very word used to express an awaking from the sleep of death 2 King 4. 31. The child is not awaked meaning that it was dead Isa 26. 19. Awake and sing you that dwell in the dust But further yet the awaking here spoken of relates to David Now hearken what the Scripture saith of Davids sleeping Acts 13. 36. After that he had Act. 13. 36. according to the will of God served he fell V. Piscal Ames Engl. Annot. Diodate Ainsworth ad loc asleep What 's the meaning of that is it not that he died Now what is the awaking related to this sleep but the Resurrection and in this sense I find many eminent Expositors agreed The Learned de Muiâ— hath another interpretation in which I find none going along with him When I awake that is saith he when I shall dye while the soul is in the body it sleeps when it leaves the body it awakes Quum expergefactia fuerit anima mea De Muis ad locum de corpore in quo velut sepulta jacet evolaverit anima mea ad imaginem tuam creata To justifie this his notion he quoteth Jer. 51. 30. where the souls of the wicked are said to sleep a perpetual sleep In opposition to this he saith the souls of the Saints when they die are said to awake Indeed if we conâ—â—der sleep as it is the binding up of the exteriour senses and an hinderance to them in their operations and then reflect upon the soul while tied to the body how much it is hindered in the freedom of its communion with God There is some analogy betwixt the case of a soul in a state of conjunction with the body and sleep And it is true that in death the soul is restored to a greater freedom for communion with God But I do not think this the sense nor is this the usage of the metaphor I think to be justified by parallel Scriptures One thing I must further observe as to the form of the Hebrew word Grammarians observe that the conjugation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hiphil in which the word is found adds facio to the original signisication of a verb which if it hath place here it properly sigfies in being made to watch or being made to awake denoting to us the necessity of a divine influence both to uphold our souls in watching and waiting for God when we do not
men fetch their breath shorter and shorter till at last it quite fails them so are the presumptuous hopes of hypocrites the nearer they come to death the shorter they fetch the breath of their hopes till at last they quite fail them and they die either stupid or despairing God makes a great trial of his Saints faith when he calls them to die in the strength of it 3. God may have a design in it to honour his Word If we wholly lived upon sight the Word of God would not be so precious to us the Promises would not be so dear to us Though I consess it is a very suspicious comfort which the Word brings not into our souls but yet consolatory dispensations are the more special and extraordinary manifestations of the Spirit in a more than ordinary improvement of the Word Gods Word appeareth and is made very precious to the soul when it hangs its whole weight upon it being not at all advantaged from sensible reflexions I had perished saith Psal 119. 92. David in my affliction if they Word had not been my delight What an honour there did holy David put upon the Word of God acknowledging that the whole weight of his perishing soul hung upon it and it sustained him Indeed there is a secret powerful influence of the Holy Ghost tcaching and inabling the soul to lay hold upon and to apply this Word But in faith of adhereâ—â—e though the Spirit be the great Author and Finisher of it teaching and inabling the soul to lay hold upon and to apply the Promise yet it is by a more secret and insensible act and the Word appeareth most in maintaining that Oh! faith the soul had it not been for such a Word such a Promise such a good word of God is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation In the reflex act of Faith which giveth the soul a plerophorous evidence or a full perswasion of its evidence in God the work of the Spirit appeareth more extraordinary and glorious the vertue of the Word doth not so much shew it self Now the Lord will sometimes honour his Word in the fight of his children letting them see that it is enough to support bear up and to uphold a soul though it should never see the face of God till it come in Heaven yet the Word is enough securely to carry it thither 4. God in such a dispensation may have a design to teach his people that salvation doth not depend upon sensible consolatory manifestations Not upon the sweet application of the Promises to the soul an act wherein we have no share it being the Lords work alone and marvelous in our eyes but upon the strong and steddy application of our souls to the Promise This latter is justifying faith the other is the faith of one already actually justified We are too prone to lay too much upon sensible comforts Some there are who will acknowledge no other notion of faith but a full perswasion of the love of God and so indeed confound faith and sight which the Apostle seemed so warily to distinguish when he told us We live by faith and not by fight And again that hope which is seen is no hope and indeed cut the throat of many a poor Christians comfort who it may be all his life cannot come to such a sensible evidence Indeed the most judicious Christians are prone to lay too much stress upon these consolatory manifestations and to think all nothing if they want them Now this is a great error which the Lord may aim at the correction of in his people by such dispensations letting the soul see there is vertue enough in his Word to bear it up through the deepest waters of affliction without the bladders of sensible manifestations Enough in that and the souls application of it self to that though until it come in Heaven it never sees the face of God It is believing that carries the soul to Heaven i. e. an hungring and relying upon Christ and his righteousness alone not that joy and peace which is the consequent of believing and that too inconsistent and uncertain And indeed I do not know any one truth that needs more rooting and confirmation in a gracious heart The life of sense is the life of the Saint triumphant The life of faith is the life of the militant Christian Though God sometimes condescends in such manifestations to the infirmities and desires of his people and is pleased to give them a glimpse of glory as the earnest penny of a future greater reward which he intendeth them yet these must not be lookt upon as the necessaries of a Christian but what God gives â—s ex abundanti a pledge of future glory Sometimes God gives his children to go to Heaven in the sight of Heaven As Stephen went to it seeing the Heavens opened and Christ Jesus stanidng at the right hand of God pleading for him and ready to receive him into the glorious mansions provided for him But as this is a note of singular and extraordinary favour which God is not bound to any particular soul by promise for so God will sometimes single out a child of his unto death that shall go to Heaven without this seal that living Christians may not run away with an erroneous apprehension that these influences are necessary to salvation and upon the death of such a child of God the Lord proclaims See here my friends you of little of faith here 's a child of mine coming alone to me without the staff of sense trusting me upon the credit of my bare word Here 's one that hath not seen and yet hath believed that hath dared to take my word for Heaven Now be not faithless but believing 5. Lastly I do not know but God may sometimes do it in Justice when one who hath been made partaker of Gods distinguishing love hath apostatized in his profession or run into some degrees of looseness of life by which Gods Name hath been dishonoured the Lord may thus far chastize his Apostacy I told you before that the Covenant runs with a notwithstanding sin as to eternal salvation the unfaithfulness of man cannot make God unfaithful he cannot alter the thing gone out Psal 89. 33. of his lips But the comforts of Gods people may fail and they may for ought I know dy although not despairingly yet doubting with an a king heart and with broken bones Divines question whether holy David though stiled the man after Gods own heart ever after his fall into those two great sins of murther and adultery recovered the fulness of his comfort again It is plain by all his penitential Psalms that he lost them and especially by that petition Psal 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Though the Scripture plainly evidenceth that he died strong in the faith yet it speaketh nothing of sensible consolations You have his last words 2 Sam. 23. 1. These be the last words of
earned hath he not given you the penny you contracted with him for why are you angry then why discontented why lift you up your voice against Heaven 2. Again How many thousands are there in the world who have as creatures as much claim to God as you for whom the Lord hath not done so much for as he hath done for you He hath given them portions in this life and hath sent them away they have pleasure riches honours c. but no faith no hope nothing of grace no interest in Christ they are dead in trespasses and sins perishing to all eternity You only want a spiritual banquet the most want spiritual bread yet creatures under the same natural capacity that you are 3. Though in one sense you be not sealed yet in another sense you are sealed You read in Scripture of the sealing of the Spirit Ephes 1. 13. chap. 4. 30. 2 Cor. 1. 22. Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30. 2 Cor. 1. 22. We usually interpret those texts of Assurance because seals are used for confirmation But possibly there is another sense as agreeable to the mind of the Holy Ghost A seal you know leaveth the signature or impression of it upon the wax the wax hath the image of the seal upon it The Lords renewing and stamping his Image upon the soul is a sealing of it to the day of Adoption There is a seal of Regeneration and Sanctification as well as a seal of Assurance and though the latter sealing be infinitely sweet and pleasant to the soul yet the former is that which fitteth us for the Kingdom of Heaven Without holiness no man can see God Is there not as much think you of the operation of the Spirit seen in sanctifying quickening strengthening a soul as in comforting it and assuring it of salvation Is it our great mistake that we will look upon nothing as the fruit of the Spirit but joy and peace certainly the renewing and sanctifying of the soul is as much the operation of the Spirit and the strengthening and quickening of the soul in the performance of duty or in the resistance of corruption is as much the fruit of the Spirit in the soul as comforting and refreshing the soul is 4. If God hath thus far inabled you viz. to behold his face in righteousness and to watch for his likeness he hath given you the necessaries of salvation the things which accompany salvation What you want is only what a soul may want and yet get to Heaven Faith and Holiness they are the necessaries to salvation a soul may go to Heaven without Joy and Peace without Faith and Holiness there is no salvation When God hath given you the bread of life have you not reason to be satisfied Though you want that banquet with which he sometimes is pleased to entertain the souls of his people The Example of this rare and eminent servant of God might have at once as to this thing have instructed and reproved many unthankful discontented and repining Christians It had pleased the Lord to strip her naked of most of her creature comforts he had sent such messengers as he sent to Job to her one after another till at last death came to assure her all as to this life was gone she was under a sad and inexpressible trial of affliction It is true in this sad and afflicted state as to her outward concerns she had her lived intervals some glimmerings of divine light sometimes Joy came over night but sorrow came again in the morning the clouds returned after rain That word Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of Glory often refreshed her but her adversary was busie her comforts inconstant her assurance little yet she lived in hope and blessed God and was thankful she endured violent pains and in her suffering acted a strong saith and in the saddest distempers would cry out Oh Sir Satan would have me let go my hold on Christ but I will trust in God till I die Though he kills me yet I will trust in him tell me I pray Sir may I not She died in hope her very last words were I hope I hope to make good that of the wise man that the righteous man hath hope in his death and by hope I doubt not but she is saved and now seeing what she hoped and with so great patience waited for Heark and be ashamed thou murmuring and unthankful Christian that art not so much as she disadvantaged from the providence of God yet canst not tell how to be silent because thou wantest consolatory manifestations Vse 3. In the third place What you have heard in this discourse may be useful to us for Consolation 1. On our own behalf 2. On the behalf of others 1. As to our selves concerning our dark hours The people of God are ordinarily very jeolous of their Saviours love and very suspicious of their own sincerity they know not how to trust as the one nor be confident as to the other without the incouragement of comfortable reflections nor how to believe they shall go to Heaven if they go not to it in the fight of it The wise man saith a man knoweth not love nor hatred by all that is before him in this life so that none ought to determine of himself in this case from any external dispensatious of providence A Christian may be poor and afflicted and yet a favourite of God and as he ought not to judge himself from these more external dispensations so neither ought he to judge himself from the want of sensible manifestations to his inward man The child of God may walk in darkness Job David Heman Asaph all had their dark hours if therefore that be our lot yet this is no ground of discouragement to us no ground for any sad conclusion against our souls as to their best interests 2. Again what we have heard affords us a great comfort against the fear of death The Scripture calleth death The King of terrours Job 18. 14. And the Apostle saith that even Gods people through the fear of it are all their life time Heb. 2. 14. subject to bondage It is the common portion of all the Sons of men It is appointed for all men once to die and it is our great interest to arm our selves against the fears of it you have heard from the former discourse 1. That death is but a sleep 2. That it is not a perpetual sleep but a sleep from which we shall awake 3. That at our awaking out of that sleep we shall be satisfied with Gods likeness 1. I say first death is but a sleep It is not an annihilation of a man that misapprehensions of it make it terrible to a man in his natural capacity It is not to the child of God the securing of a person to the Judgement of the great day In this notion unbelievers have reason to consider it what is it then It is but a sleep This gentle notion