37:1 * Chap. 28. An Expo f Lion uponn the Book of J o $. Verf. 2S. way, andufcth the fame method in dealing with the confciences of the Ijraelites (t Sam. r 2. 2o.) where having reproved that people, laying their fins home to their hearts, and terrifying them with aimoff a miraculous form of rain and thunder (when they fo importunately defired a change of the ancient go- vernment , or tohave a King) he ffeps in (at the aoth verfe) and revives their fainting and fearful fpirits, with this dehortati- on, Fear not,ye have done all die wickednefr, yet turn not glide frcm following the Lord,'Theywere afraid of the Lords Judge- ment*, and yet it was fuch a fear as he fax would not ferve to keep them from turning sfidefrotta following the Lord :it would chufe ihem to run fromGod, not to keepclofe to him, therefore faith he,fear not ; yet he adds (at the 24thverfe) Onlyfear the ,Lord, andferve him in truth, with allyour heart,&c.He even with the fame breath forbids their fear, and bids them fear, Fear not, onlyfear tke Lord : Now you fear the Lord, becaufe you fee how terribly he declares himfelf againa your folly and fin ; but this fear will not keep your hearts clofe in obedience, while you fear him only in regard of his greatnefsand foveraignty : there- fore fear the Lord witha better fear then that whichwas blown up by a form,. and thofe angry difpenfations of God towards There may be (I grant) a profitableufe of a flavifh fear; for as perfe& love cafieth out tormenting fear, fo tormenting fear m 'y be a prepare tory,to the bringing inofperfeet love even as t} eneedle (foth: allufton hash been made, and not unfitly) Makes way for the threwdto follow it. Our trembling at the thunder of divine wrath, may render us (through the working of the Spirit in it) more ready to receive the Sun(hine of Divine love ; yet this isnot that fear of theLordwhich we are to chufe, much lefs to ref in, nor indeed canwe take refs in it.Nor is this that fear of the Lord which yob here calls our wifdom, nor can it aloneever make uswife, either to obedience, or to ble(fednefs and falvarion. And therefore having (hewed what that fear is, which is only a fruit of fin, and' what that fearis, which is init Pelf fnful, as alto what that fear of the Lord is which is not our wifdom ; I fall nowmore dire ìly fhew what that fear of theii ord is, ;Web is thewifdom of man, the-wifeloon of all men, And Ifliall'take liberty todoe ir.a little-more largely then is fata- blc d
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