9:16 ~ Difcour[e of the Fear of God, ~~-:Ahl1ough the Command <:f God mull be the gro~ my O~c;,-y;:;~ ~Fear of God may be an Excitation to It. The Command of God is the wio formali< of the Obedience of the Creature, the Fear of God may be the ratro mcth,.. Take all Rewards and Punifhm<nts and abfiract them from the Command of God yet the Command ofGod ob!igeth us;. but add thefe and they will more powerfuliy infarce It. A Cypher IS notlung m It felf, but add Jt to a Surnm and it increafeth the Summ' Rewards and Punifhmen ts being added to the Command do inforce it. 3· The Fear of God fhould work upon us in this manner, to be a Bridle to check and refirain us from Sin.• For y~u fhall find this to be the Method of the Gofpel, whe re God ped\vades us to Dunes he propounds Reward ; when he dilfwades us from Sin he prefents and urgeth Judgments ; therefore in this manner fhou ld Fear work upon the Soul, Rom. 8. I 3· For if ye live after the flefb ye fba!/ die, there is a Check from Sin; bNt t(ye through the Spirit do mortifj the Deeds of the Body, ye jba/1 itve, there ts an Encouragement to Duty. 4·. This Fear of God's Judgments, or of the Threatnings of God, its chiefefi Seafen IS [hen, when fome prefent Temptation preffeth upon us, when Confcicnce and the ARections are divided, when Confcience doth withdraw a Man from Sin; and when his Carnal Affections draw him forth to it, then fbouiJ the Fear of God come in. It is a holy Defign for a Chrifiian to counterballance the Pleafures of Sin with the Terrours of it, and thus to cure the Poyfon of the Viper by the Flefh of the Viper. Thus that admirable Saint and Martyr Bi{bop H ooptr, when he came to die one endeavour'd to dehort him tCom Death by this, 0 Sir, confider, that Life is fiveet, 4nd Death ~s hitter; prefenrly he replyed, Life to come is more fiveet , a11d Death to come is cr;;;~:~~':n:~df~~e~~~~ ~~tt~~i:l~at~~ea~~a~~:~~n~rSi~nt~r~le't~~~·~rat~~u~/:b~ Reward of God, fo fometimes he may quench the Pleafures of Sin by the Confideration of rhe Terroursof God. We read of our Lord J cfus, that he did ourwe1gh the Shame of the Crofs by the Glory of his Exaltation, Heb. 12. 2. He was not .a01a - med of the Crofs, becaufe of the Glo ry that was fer belore him. So a Clmfiian may thus confider with himfelf, that Communion with God exceeds all the Gratifi,. cations of the Senfcs ; that there is more pleafure in one Minutes Enjoyment of l1is Love than in all the carnal dreggy Delights of the World for ever: And on the other fide, he may make ufe of this Fear. 5· I conceive thi s, That the Fear of God's Threatnings doth more ingenuoufiy work when it refpects the Lofs of Heaven than the cafi ing into Hell. For an ingenuous Son doth not fo much fear to be cafi into a Houfc of Correction, as he fears di(: inheritigg; fo a gracious Spirit cloth more fear the Lofs of Gods Countenance, tha'n aU the bodi ly pains that can be inflicted upon him; this is a Fear that is more ingenuous and filial. 6. The Fear of God's Judgments fbould fo far, and in this manner work upon every Chrillian, as to render his Pardon the more welcome, and to make the Grace and Love of God to fhin9 forth with a brighter Lufire. Oh fuch a Perfon as fears the Power and the Terrour of God's Wrath, how will he efieem Chnrt as the Crown of his Glory, as the Spring ofhisJoy, and as his Riches! Oh fuch a Pe rfon wi l.l break fort h with the Apofile, God forbrd that I fbouldglory m any tlnng but tn the Crofs. of Chriff . The re is no Perfon that ever prizeth a Sanctuary or an Ajylum at fuch a lugh Rate, as he that is purfucd by the Avenger of Blood; ond . noPerfon wi!Iever let a Value upon the Righreoufnefs of Chrifi, and upon the Mercy of God ull he doth fear that Wrath that is endlefs and remedi!efs . CHAP.
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