Chap. 28. an Expofttion upon the Book, ofjf o s. Verf. 28. God moves and a&s the foul b duty, there'sno lodging left for bafe and flavifh fear; or if the principle of it lodge there, yet the prevalency of it Both not, nor can it either over -power the foul, or defray its peace. We find frequent inflonce and reproofe of that tormenting fear in Scripture. Wc read, how,Tbat terribleflare in which the Lawwas publifhed uponMount Sinai,didmuch amaze the Ifra- elites (Exód.2o.18,19.) and aß the people faw the tbaunierings and the lightnings, and thenoife ofthe trumpet, and the Mountain 'waking and when the people Jaw it, they removed andfloodafar of, and theyfail unto Mofes, fpeak thsuwithus, andwe will bear; but let not Gadfpeakto us leafl we dye. Mofes (at the loth verfe) muffles this anfwer ; fear not : as if he had faid, I fee you are furprifed with a wonderful fear at this appearance ofGod,fpeaking to you with fuch dreadfulMajefly in thunderings and lightnings; but lay down this fear,and I will tell you of another fear, which you ought to take up ; For Çod is come to prove you, and that his fear may be befor,your eyes that you fin not. This may seem a Rangeway of comforting them ; to remove the fear which was upon them by telling them of a pother fear, which they were to take in. This !cokes like the curinglof adifeafe by increafing it. But though Mofes his words have the fame found in the ear, yet theyarevery diffonant and difiinet to the underflanding.We fay one heat drives our another ; tad 'tis moll true, that one fear will drive out another. When Mofes faith fear not, he would remove thatfear of God meetly as a revenger of fin. And when he faith , be ie come that bisfear may before your eyes, he means it of that fear only, which would keep them from finning ; as is expeffc in the text ; God is come to prove you (as his fons,not to deffroy you as flaves)and that bis fear may be before your eyes that yefin not. His aim is not to pur you in a continual fear of fufferings, but that you may alwayes fear to fin. So that as the Apo(' le fpeaks about the bringing in of abetter hope(Heb.7,t9.) fo Mofe?here about the bringing in of a b ,.ter fear, of which we may fay as the Anofile thereof that better hope (or covenant of Grace,or Chrifi he Covenant who is the grandof our hope) that by it we draw nigh untoGod,S1.v ;1h fea drives us fromGod, bor of Son-like +ear we may fay,thar by it we draw nigh to God, and delight to live alw,aycs nigh toGod. Same/goes the fme Bbbz way, 37p
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