920 A Di[cour[e of the Fear of God. ~~------------------------------------- ~ cHAP. IV. The Effects and Prodttct.f of Filial Fear. THE Fourth General propounded is to fhew what are the Effetl:s and Produ& of Filial Fear; they are thefe, , . Firjl, The Fear of God produceth a Flight frorrt Sin : This is fo Bffemial to the Fear of God, that it makes up its Defcription, the Fear of God is to depart from Evil. In the 19 Pjalm 9 v. you have an Expreffion there, The Fear of the Lord u clean· it is c1eanformaliter, it is clean in it felf; it is ~lea.n ejfelfive, as it makes us clean ; that Perfon that thus fears the Lord will not ordmarlly negletl: the leafr Duty, nor commit the leaf!Sin for the greate!l Good. The ~ea~ of God. is Anim~ vigil & cujlos, it is ~~~e~er~:n~~~:~~t~~~~~~fo~f~h .. YS~~k ~~~.tch ts very vtgtlant that no Tempation may 2. Secondly, Another Effetl: or Produtl: of this Fear of God, is a careful Search after the perfetl: Knowledge ofGod's Will, that foa Man may not offend him (and this proceeds from the former) P{al. 86. 1 L Teach me th:J way, .O.Lord, and 1 ws/1 walk m tiJJ truth,unite my heart tofear thy name. Here you fee the ConJuntl:ion of thefe twoRequefls. A Man that is a Stranger to this Fear, makes it his defign to prefervc his Confcience from the Command of the Light of the Word. Lazy Perfons lie upon their Beds of Eafe, and draw their Curtains. that no Beam may dart in upon them ; they are afraid of the !hining Light, lefl it !hould fcorchthem; they are afra id Confcience il10uld know what is the Will of God le!! it !hould perform its Office of accuGng them, But one that fears God ingenuoully, he tries what is the acceptable and good Will of God. ThusitwaswithJob,chap.j4. 32. Thatwhichlfeenotteachthoume; If !have done Iniqt~it) I wi!i do no more. This is the Temper of a Perfi>n that fears God; and indeed you may carry this through all Relations. This is the Fear of a Son who will en9uire what is his Father's Will that he may not difpleafe him. The 'care of a Wrfe is this, !he will en"Juire what her Husband's Difpofition is, that fhe may not contraditl: him : It is a neceJiary Effetl: of Fear to mal!e a Perfon full of Enquiries after the Will of him whom he endeavours to pleafe. 3· Thirdly, This Fear bath a_ great Influence upon our Performance of the Duties of Wor!hip. '" It compofeth the Soul. 2. It makes it aweful in the difcharge of them. 1. Firjl, It compofeth the Soul, Pfa!. 86. I r. Vnite m1 heart to fear thy Name. There is a natural Lightnofs in the Spirits of Men, and when we ccme to Religious Duties our Thoughts are like a Bird in a Cage, it flutters the more becaufe it is inclofed ; our Thoughts then are full of fuch a light Difcurrency as Chaff in-the Wi nd, or Dull in the Air; but now the Fear of God binds up the Soul from flrtting. The Fear of God brings the Soul to a Confillency when it waits upon God in Religious Duties. He that flops th<>Sun in its Flight, and the Waves in their Coude, cloth bind up our Thoughts by his Fear. This is the Grace that unites our Thoughts together-. And therefore you may try your [elves by this, whether or no when you approach the Throne of Grace cloth the Fear of God compofe your Spirit, doth it caufe you toendeavourtoget and keep your thoughts upon that, which then is required ofyou? 2. Secondly, It renders the Soul aweful and folcmn in the Prefence of God. We read, Heb, 12. 28, 29, Wherefore rve receiving 4 Kingdom rvhich cannot be moved, let tu have Grace wl~ereby we may ferve God acceptAbly with reverence ~tnd godi1 fe~r, for our · ~~1fi~1:, ';t;i;;,~/o~~ ~e~~~hb~fo~~ff,?~~he~~~~i~~: ;~uf~);,?a~~; h~~~~: ~\~~'a;~ • . fervent as he !hould be, yet he will be always reverent, (fo it always is when Grace hath any atl:ings in the Soul) for the lowefl degree of Grace is this,_ to compofe the Spirit in the Sight ofGod. ~hereforeit is faid, Eccl. 5· I . /(«p thy foot when tbougorft to the Houfe of God; and certamly whenfoever rlus Grace cloth exerctfe tts P.ower many degree, one of the firllllffetl:s of it is this, to make the Soul Reverent and Solemn in the Apprehenfion of God's Perfetl:ions. 4· FoHrthly,
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