The Fear of God

Fear God.

THIS Exhortation is not only found here in the Text, but is in several other places of the Scripture pressed, and that with much vehemency, upon the children of men (as in Eccles. 12.13. 1 Pet. 1.17, &c.) I shall not trouble you with long preambles, or fore-speech to the matter, nor shall I here so much as meddle with the context, but shall immediately fall upon the words themselves, and briefly treat of the Fear of God.

The Text; you see, presenteth us with matter of greatest moment, to wit, with GOD, and with the FEAR of him.

First, They present us with God, the true and living God, Maker of the worlds, and upholder of all things by the word of his power; that incomprehensible Majesty, in p. 2comparison of whom, all Nations are less than the drop of a bucket, and than the small dust of the ballance. This is he that fills Heaven and Earth, and is every where present with the children of men, beholding the evil and the good; for he hath set his eyes upon all their waies.

So that considering, that by the Text we have presented to our souls the Lord God and Maker of us all, who also will be either our Saviour or Judge, we are in reason and duty bound to give the more earnest heed to the things that shall be spoken, and be the more careful to receive them, and put them in practice; for, as I said, as they present us with, the mighty God; so they exhort us to the highest duty towards him; to wit, to fear him; I call it the highest duty, because it is as I may call it, not only a duty in it self, but, as it were, the SALT that seasoneth every duty. For there is no duty performed by us, that can by any means be accepted of God, if it be not seasoned with godly fear. Wherefore the Apostle saith, Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Of this fear, I say, I would discourse at this time; but because this word fear is variously taken in the Scripture, and because it may be profitable to us to see it p. 3in its variety; I shall therefore chuse this method for the managing of my discourse, even to shew you the nature of the word in its several, especially of the chiefest acceptations.

p. 31. Then, by this word FEAR, we are to understand, even God himself, who is the object of our FEAR.

2. By this word FEAR, we are to understand the WORD of God, the Rule and Director of our FEAR.

Now to speak to this word [fear] as it is thus taken.

p. 31. Of this word [FEAR] as it respecteth God himself, who is the object of our fear.

By this word [Fear] as I said, we are to understand God himself, who is the object of our fear: For the Divine Majesty goeth often under this very name himself. This name Jacob called him by, when he and Laban chod together on Mount Gilead, after that Jacob had made his escape to his Fathers house; Except, said he, the God of Abraham, and the FEAR of Isaac had been with me, surely now thou hadst sent me away empty. So again, a little after, when Jacob and Laban agree to make a Covenant of Peace each with other; though Laban after p. 4the jumbling way of the Heathen by his oath, puts the true God and the false together, yet Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac, Gen. 31.42, 53.

By the FEAR, that is, by the GOD of his Father Isaac. And indeed, God may well be called the FEAR of his people, not only because they have by his grace made him the object of their FEAR, but because of the dread and terrible Majesty that is in him. He is a mighty God, and terrible, and with God is terrible Majesty. See Dan. 7.21. chap. 10.17. Neh. 1.5. chap. 4.14. ch. 9.32. Job 37.22.

Who knows the power of his anger? The mountains quake at him, the Hills melt, and the Earth is burnt at his presence. Yea the world, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before his indignation? who can abide the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the Rocks are thrown down by him, Neh. 1.5, 6.

His people know him, and have his dread upon them, by vertue whereof there is begot and maintained in them that godly awe and reverence of his Majesty which is agreeable to their profession of him. Let him be your FEAR, and let him be your Dread. Set his Majesty before the eyes of your souls, and let his excellency make you p. 5afraid with godly fear, Isa. 8.12, 13.

There are these things that make God to be the Fear of his People.

First, His presence is dreadful, and that not only his presence in common, but his special, yea his most comfortable and joyous presence. When God comes to bring a soul news of mercy and salvation, even that visit, that presence of God is fearful. When Jacob went from Beer-sheba towards Haron, he met with God in the way by a dream, in the which he apprehended a Ladder set upon the Earth, whose top reached to Heaven; now in this dream, from the top of this Ladder, he saw the Lord, and heard him speak unto him, not threatningly, not as having his fury come up into his face; but in the most sweet and gracious manner, saluting him with promise of goodness, after promise of goodness, to the number of eight or nine; as will appear if you read the place (Gen. 28.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.) Yet I say, when he awoke, all the grace that discovered it self in this heavenly vision to him, could not keep him from dread and fear of God's Majesty.