Ver. 24, 2 5. xxvth Chapter of St. MATTHEW. I I I not only fay, 1 was afraid, but giveth a reafon of it : I knew that thou wert an hard man, reaping where thou haft not faired, and gathering where thou hall not pawed. A pá rabolical fpeech, to fet forth a cruel Tyrant, that doth exaa upon thofe that are under him without Mercy and Reafon. Our Affe&ions follow our Apprehenfions, and we either love or fear according to the inward notions that we have of God in our minds. They that know thy name will truft in thee, Pfal. 9. so. If we had righter notions of God, we would love him more, and troll him more : But when we conceive amifs of him, accordingly we are affeEfed to him : And there- fore we fhould take he what Pi&ure we draw of God in our minds ; for if we have only fuch app ehenfions as render him grievous and burdenfome to us,, thefe thoughts will leven Our Hearts, and make us either negleEl his Service, or do it by contlraint, in a very awkward and uncomfortable mánner. If the, Devil can bring you to have a bafe opinion of God, as cruel and tyrannical, and once poffefs you with fowre thoughts, and fretful Jealoufies, or harfh furmifes of his Government, it will turn all your love and obedience into hatred and fia- vifh fear. Therefore thofe that confider, that Love is the great principle of Obe- dience, fhould älfo, confider that there is nothing fo neceffary to breed love, as good thoughts of God, and a due fenfe of his goodnefs in Chrifl ; come to this. once, and then all that he requireth and doth, will be acceptable. to us His Laws will not be grievous, nor his Providences feet burdenfom to you, nor his Judgments intolerable. How can you love him, till you reprefent him as an ObjeEl of Love ; one upon whom you may chearfully depend for Life and De- fence ; and from whom you may comfortably expe& the Rewards of Obedience ? Therefore take heed of painting out God in your thoughts as an hard Mater. The Apoffle telleth us, Heb. r t. 6. He that cometh to God mutt believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently Peek him. As foon as we appre- hend his Being, we fhould allo pitch upon his Bounty and Goodnefs. Firft, That he is, and then, That he is a Rewarder. There is in all men force Imprefiion of a Godhead, which is clearly underflood and feen by the thins that are made, Rom. t. 20. This Apprehenfion of God calleth for. Worfhip: for next that God is , we muff believe he tuft be Wort/ripped, Yoh. 4. 24. Thefe two notions live and dye together ; they are clear and blotted out together. As the apprehen -' fion of God is clear, and more deeply engraven upon the Soul, fo is this noti- on of mans Duty of Worfhipping God clear, and imprinted upon the Soul alto. The one Imprelon cannot be worn out without the other. But now, want of a true Knowledge of God breedeth ftavilh fear, fearing God in excels, rather than loving him in any tolerable meafure; becaufe a man naturally looketh upon God with the fame eye, that a MalefaPtor doth upon his Judge. Fear is more natural to carnal men, becaufe a bad Confcience is very fufpicious, and our fenfe of Gods Benefits is not fo great, as the fenf of our' bad defervings is quick and lively. Therefore naturally we have no other notions of God, than as a rigid Law-giver and fevere Avenger. The Heathens, who in all their Worfhip difcover- ed the natural Sentiments of Religion that are in the Hearts of men, obferved this in their Straits, Vt pries placarent iratos Deos, 'cá'c. Wrath and Anger were the firfr thoughts they had of a Divine Power; and 'tis as true among Chriffi- ans. Guilty Nature is more prefagious of evil than of good, when it is ferious. 'Tis true, wicked men cry out, God is merciful, and that is generally the caufe óf their LazineG and fieightnefs in Religion ; but it is when they do not mind what they fay ; thefe are but fugared words in their Tongues, when they are ferious they have other thoughts. Bondage is more natural than Liberty, Fear than Hope; becaufe of the Covenant we are under, which is a Covenant of works, a Minifiry of Death and Condemnation, and fo begetteth fear, and reprefenteth God as terrible : yea, 'tis found in thofe that are more ferious, and have Tome beginnings of a good work upon their Hearts ; they are too apt to entertain ill thoughts of God, and looking upon him in the glafs of their guilty fears, repre fent him as harfh and inexorable. All their terrours and troubles are raifed by falfe Apprehenfions of God ; and therefore the courte of their Obedience groweth the more uncomfortable : This is a truth, that the Law and Grace contendeth for the maftery in every Heart, that entertains thoughts of Religion ; not only Cor- ruption and Grace, but the Law and Grace t' And as their Law- notions prevail, fo their flavifii fear increafeth ; but as the Gofpel Apprehenfions prevail, fo their Love
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