A Difcour{e of th~ Fear of God. - ' . - 9 3 ~ - ------------·-· - ·--· -· ----· ----=---~~~ Now theFearofGod as it enables a Man to attain to that whichis,ninijnit~Good,~ foro avoid that which is an infinite Evil. By how much the more excell~nt"j(nd~ more difficult the good is that we would obtain, and how much the more ·P.<;fjllpus ~ · and imminent an evil is that he would avoid, by fo much greater is tpe Wifdom ihat doth obtain the one, and avoid the other. Now the Wifdom ofGod'; Fear teacheth us to obtain the higheft Good, and to avoid the worft and higheft Evil. What is the greateft 0 anger in the World? It is not the Lofs of External Goods; for alas the!e things are of a perifhing Nature, Riches tal« Wings and fly away, Honour depends upon the Fancy of another, Pleafure dies in the ver'y Enjoyment of it ; therefore the Lofs of rhefe things cannot be the greateft danger. Nor cantl1e enduring of the moft !harp Afj\iB:ions in this Life be the greateft Evil : For confider how many of thofc that have been dear in God's Affections have lain under the greateft CorreCtions; nay, they have triumphed over them ; therefore that is not the greareft danger. But the Lofs of the Soul, that precious Jew,el, that is more worth than th~ World, is the greatefi Lofs, and to endure the Terrours of God in Confcience is the ~~~:~~t,t;;r,~fe ~~;~;~~~,F;1~~r~fo~Y~ !~R :en~r,~e;r~:t;ftu~Wd~~line this Lofs, 4· FourthiJ, (in order to all thefe things) the Fear of God doth improve the heft Seafons. We eftecm it a great piece of \Vifdom in the World, for a Pc1fon to im~ prove his time. There is no Perfon but hath his particular Seafon and his time. Now the Fear of God teacheth us to improve that Seafon and Time for our Eternal Good, and that upon a double account. ' 1. Firfr, In regard of the Ga les of the Spirit's Motions, which are very tranfienr. For we cannot command the Clock of Mercy, to frrike when w~ pleafe, therctOfe a ~an ~1 uld improve eve_ry Seafan: For it is faid, Phi/. ~· ~ z. J.·Vork o~lf your own Salva~ tton IVtth fear and tremblmg, it follows, vtrf 'l· f'or tt ts God wluch rvorl:eth in you both to will Alld to do of his g.ood pleajitre. It is the Fear of the Lord which excites a Man to blow up every fpar~ i~to a Flame, and .c~1cri~ every_ Mqtion of the Spirit, for he knows not how long tlus Breath of the Spmt wtll remam. Such a Perfon cloth improve Opport~nities. Now Opportunity is .tv9&. ~~v, the Flower of Ti~e. As a Flower m:1 y :vtther and decay, yet the Stalk rernam; fo a Man may Iofe hts?ppornity,and yet enJOY time. Th~ day ofGod's _Patience is longer than the day ofhis v race; there are many Perfons that hve under Ordmances, but find 'em alt.ogether Lifclefs a 9~ Powerlcfs as to thm Souls; for they have loft thetr Opportumty, and God withdraws his Spirit, and frrives no more with them. Now the Fear of Gqd inables the ~oul to improve every Seafon, left his Spirit fhould withdraw it felf. TI1e Fear of God doth imprefs this Truth upon the Soul, that as the purchafing of our Salvation depends upon the SatisfaB:ion of Chrift, fo tho obtai9ing of that Salvation depends upon the I~provemcnt of th~ Day of G,race, 2 Cor. 6. 2. Be!Jold, noiV ts the accepted time, nOIV ts the daJ of SalvatiOn. . . 2. This Fear of God caufeth the Soul to tmprovc the_ Seafon that it enjoy~, in refpeB: of the Brittlenefs and Frailty of Life,, our time )'emg certainly !hort and uncertainly conrinucd. He that is .thc Soveretgn Lord of our Perfons, is the Difpofer of our time. Death doth not follow the Courfe of Nature, but the Order of God's de· crec ; therefore it cuts offfomc in their Sios before they come to the Flowe,r: Nov.r the Fear of God impreffeth upon the Soul thefe Apprehenfions, I cannot command the Motions of the Spirit, I can'not lengthen out the Thread of Life; therefore I will improve the p_rcfent Scafon. This i~ chat. G!ace which ~aufeth the Soul to confider, becaufc Etermty depends upon my time, It IS malt preciOUS, aod therefore I will im.. prove it. As a piece of Parchment which in it fdf is not worth a Shilling, may 'be worth Ten Thoufand Pounds, 10 refpett of what Jt conveys; fo tlus ll1ort Life 'l'-hich thou cnjoycfr. which in it felf is of little worth, yet Eternity depends u·pon it; _r-herefore it is moft valuable. The Sum is this, do but put thefe three Q!eftjons · io your felves, wh . ther or no it is not the higheft Reafoo in tbe World for • M,ag tp ili~n~~~~ai1o~~~~~s,:,7,~')~ ~fsar~[e~~~; ~~h~o~fi,'~1~1F\,ls t\v~~g~c~1~r~\~~~ [~~ Will of God, who is his great Mafter; if yo_u wa,uld but .refolve thefe thigg~by the Judgment of renewed Re,fon., certain hm, you w9uld ejlecm the Fear of <; Od tO lie rhe bell: Wifdom. If Solompn could tell us, that he is wife that wins other men~ So~ls how much more is he ,wifethat faves his own? Now it is tL1eFearofGod which isth; Inftrument of 9J!r Salvjltion ; therefore let tbat i;>e ypur Principle to govern j!pp order .your whole Li'iC>, let this be your great J;lngi9~, aqd 1he Spring ofall your 44iipns to have the_Fear ofGp9ca~ y,9~r l,)>r;&gr .and 9.QV£rn.our. ~~rtaip.lam, \)'Qe!) , i!t ~{le lilft . Day
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