~piritual PerJeflioiz. t~~:tm~~:~~t;ifa~~~~~et~~~~·u gi~'N:~rb!of~'~~~;~t ~~~0Ix;;~~~·oP.~;~ft~; ~~~;~ n°J Holy Fc:1r, are conlifient at the fame time; for the ferious rcAetlion on the Divi.ne At~ tributes, excite both chafe affc:B::ions. w~ rear! that .when M.;ry Magdalm, With' the ochcr tda 1 , came to the Sepulchre of Chnft, at the bnght appearance of an Angel that dtcl ar'd his RefurreClion, rhey Jf!ent away with fear abdgu.1t jor. ~ inful A,fft:ft.ions are oppofi lc to ~race, but Gr~cio~s AtfeCl:ions are infeparab!.e. The fea r of offendmg God is a prefu·vauvc,;: of our Joy m htm: as a Hedge of Thorns 1S a ~et.lce. to ~ Gard~ n of Rofes. In the Kingdom of Love and Joy, the Reverent fe>r of God IS 1n1ts Exaltauoo. 2 • There is a Fear of Caution, that is always joyn,d with the other, and exciteS u~ to walk circum!peaiy and exactly, that we may be always approved and accepted at' God. The Jtar ofthe Lord it clean, effectively . This will prevent fec;·et Sins wh ich are only known to God. Thou fbalt not eur[e the deaf, nor la7 a jiumbltng·bloek before the blind, but fur th~ Lord. Fea r is an Internal_ Guardian, that ke:ps thl:! H~art pure, of which GoJ isthe Iofpectorand Judge. It Will not fuffer us to Sm freely 10 1 hough t, nor foully in Act. When Fear draws the Lines of our Duty, our Steps will be Regular. Fear keeps usclofe to God, by the perfwafion of his All.feeing Eye, and is oppo;'d to the forgetfuloefs of God, the caufe of all the Errors of our Lives. Holy Fear win make us to perform our Dmy in thofe degrees that .arc command~d, to pleafe ~od . .'Tis the Principle of Perfeverance: thus God a!fures his P~ople, I 1vJU put mJ fur m th~ir hf4rtJ, and they fba/1 never depart from me. The Caufes of backOtding are Alluremeors and Te rrors: pleafant Temptations fometirnes fo firongly infinuateinto the Affections, th at LO\'e calls in Fear to irs Affitlance to repel them! for ilrong Pear and Delight are inconfificm. If Terrors are objected to drive us from our Duty, the grcat~ r Fea r will over· rule the lefs; the Fear of God will expel the fearfulnefs of Mao ; For the moft flaming Anger of Men is more tolerable, than a fpark of his Difplcafute. From hence "tis evident, that the Fear of God is the Fountam of heroick Courage, and fortifies the Spirit, that the threatoiogs of Men cannot fupplant our cootlancy. If our refideocc were perpetual in this World, it were a point of Wifdom to fecure the Favour of Men; but fince we muft fhortly dye, as _furely a~ we live, 'tis extreme foi1y, by compliance and low refpects t~ Men, to lofe our mtereft. 1~ God, and provoke him, with whom we mufi be enher m his, favourable and fehcnarmg prefence, or in his terrible pretence for ever. The Rage of Man cannot reach beyond the Grave, but the Wrath of God extends to Eternity. 'Tis • fearful thing to f•Uinto the hands of the living God, who lives f'or ever, and can punifh for ever. L et us therefore be exhorted to p•fs tile time of o•r fojourning in fear. Temptations are f~equenr, ~nd we are frail, and are never fafe without circumfpefrion. The Fe4r of God ts the begmning of Wifdom; the principal part of it. Wiidom isnotimployed about rrivial things, bur afl3irs of moment. Now what is there of fuch confequence in the World, as the directing the Soul to Eternal Blefredoefs? How to efcape the moft immi· nem and detlructive Evd, and to obtain the moft defirable Good. Indeed the P?ffioo of Fear, when exorbitant and overwhelming; caufes a wretched neglect of the means of Salvation. If a Sh ip fprings a leak, and the Waters pour faOer into ir, than the Mariners can pump ir. out, and they fee nothing but the Sea ready to fwallow them up, their Hearts and Hands faint, and they give over all labour. If Men are defperate, they will be difobedien t : But we can never raife our Fears of God too high, it we retain a firm be lief of his Mercy that rejoic~s over 1mlgment. This wiJJ not infringe our Libeny, but inl~rge ir; for 'tis the moll: ignominious !lavery robe under the domin icn of Sin, and the jutl appreheofions of its terrible Confequences. The Fear of God ingages him to be our Friend, and refcues us from all the perplexi. ties to wh1ch we are liable in this open flare. Many Sins are committed for the fear of the anger of Men, and prefi1mptioo of the Mercy of God; but 'cis often found , that a Rcligiou<t Conllancy gains more Friends than Carnal obfequioufnefs. M' hm 4 man's IVA11 pl~afe the Lord, he will make hi1 en~mi~1 to b~ 41 p~au with him. Efpeci ally in oil acts of Worfhip, chis Grace fhould be in its highell exercifc. 'Tis the A poll_ le s din:a10n, ltt U& draw netJr wetb rev~renu ttnd godb /tAr, for our God iJ 4 confumi"..'<. fire. We muft folemn ly confider the Greatnefs of God, rvho drv~lls in tight in4cu/libie, and is a confuming Fire to all that difparage him by flight and carelcfs Addreffes. S/,411 not his Ex ceflt ncy mak~ tu afraid? In Prayer let us draw near to his Throoe in the ciccpefl: fcnf~ o~ our mcanncfs and unworthinefs ; and. tremble at the hear ing of his Wo rd. ThiS dtfpofiri on will make us acceptable in h<S Eyes. The Lord faith, The 1-feav_~n i1 ."'.J throne , and the Eart!J i s mJ footjlool; to !Ji,J will I look, who iJ poor and of a "' comr/t~ [ptrtt, and tremble; at my word. M m m m And
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=