Reverence and godl] Fear. tbar can11ot be moved ; there we fuall be free from the Temptations of Sat4n, from the Infirmities and Corruptions of the Flefh, from the mutability and fi.cklenefs of dtfr own Wills, .and have a blefied necellity impofed upon us to be for ever holy, and to be for ever happy. So much for thcThefiJ, We have a Kingdom th4t cannot be mo11eri. (2.) Secondly, From th.e Thefis the Apoftle proceeds to draw a practical Inference; wherein we may obferve both what he exhorts us unro; and hOw we ought to do it. The Matter of the Duty to which he exhorts us, is, Lr:r JU have Graft whcuby we 11111) forvc God. The manner how we ought to ferve God is fet down in one word and that is acceptably, Let m fwue God acceptably; which that we may do, he direCts us to the means, and that is, in all our ferving of God let us addrefs our felvcs to him, with reverence and .godly fear; let us ferve God acceptably with reverence an~ godly fear. I lba!l only 1 as I pafs along, take .a tafte of this part of ·the ~rcxt, before I fix upon what I principally intend. The Word here tranfiatcd Revermre fignifies rhame-facednefs or balbfulncfs, fi1ch as is commendable in lnferiours while they ar~ in the prefence of their Superionrs ; and it impli es in it two Things. Firft, Gonfoioufneji of our own Vilenefs and VnworthitJefs. And then it implies ; Secondly, An over-awing fenfo of anothers excellency. For Mode'- ity or Reverence confifts in thefe two Things, in low and debafing Thoughts of our fclves, and in a high E.{h:cm of others. Why now this the ApojUe exhortS us to in the Text by the word Reverence;· whence obferve this, That a due fonfo Cf our own vileruji a1td of qoJ.'s glorious Majejly, U an exce/Jent qualification tn 11/l our Ser.. vices to make tl1em acceptable. ·Let us ferve God acceptably, With Reverence and godly Fear. (3.) Thirdly, You have in the 1Cxt the Motive whereby the Apoflle inforceth this Exhortation, For our God M a confummg Fire. Thefe Words are cited out of Deut. 4· 19. where Mo{es, to bring the ljr~tclites frot~ Idolatry, rcprefents God to them as a jealous God and a confuming Fire. And here the .Apoflie makes ufc of them to compofe Men into a holy Awe and RevCrence of God in fcrving of him : Whence obferve, . (1.) Firft, Thlft a11 irreverent A1Jil fearlefs WorjJ1ip of the true God, provokes him and Jeferves his confuming Wratht M :weU M the Idolatrou. Wor{hip of"' falftGod. Mofes makes ufe of the fame Words to deter the Ifraelires from Idolatry and worfhipping of a falfe · God, as the Apoftle makn ufe of to excite us to a Reverence and worfhipping of the true God. (2. ) Secondly, fVIurcaJ it is {aid that our God W a coJJfummg Fire; obfe.rve, That our peculiar lntereft in God u nu Encourugnnem to C;tjf ojj' our mojt aw[lll /tar of God. Onr God is a confuming Fire; though he bath laid down his Enmity againft us, yc:t he hath not laid down his Sov~reignty and Majcfl:y over us. Indeed thefe two Expreffions, Our God, and a confumJng Fire, at fir it bluih and glance feem to look _ftr'angel y and wiftly OtlC upon another; but the Holy Ghofl hath ex· cellcntly tempered lhem: He ie our God, this correel:s that defpairing Fear that otherwifc would feize upon us, from the: confideration of God as a confuming Fire : And he is a confuming Fire alfo, that correCts that prefumptuous lrreve.. rence, that elfe I he confidcration of our lntereft in God might poffibly embolden us unto. - You fee now, from the Explication of thefe Words, what an excellent cop(.. ous Portion of Scripturt I have unfolded unto you, wherein indeed is contained the true Art and Method of ferving of God acceptably. It is the Fear of God that quickens us to ferve him, and this Fear of God is prelfed upon us and wrought in us by two ftrong Principles, we have a Kin~dom; and what is ftrange too fOr thofe that have a l~ingdom of God, our God IS a confuming Fire, and therefore let us fear him. Now this is fuc~ a Principle that carnal Men are not apt tO apprehend; they fay, if we have a Kingdom tha~ cannot be moved, wh,')' then Ihould w~ fear? And if God be fuch a coufuming Fire, why Ih~uld we ever expeCt that Kmg,dom , fince we are but as Stubble? But our Apoftle hath well conjovaed them together, and from that Conjunction I Jhall raife and profecute this one Pro~ pofition. That evm thofe who jland higheft in the ltYVt and [4vour of God, Jtnd have tht fuUejl af- DoC\rin~ furance thtreof, and of their intereft in him M their God, qught notro:thft,ndmg to [tar him IU a Sin..rrotnging God, and 4 confuming Fire. In the profecution of this Ilhall fhew you. M m m m m ( t ;) Fidt.,
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