[5.] The reverence to be used in secret adoration, David did not only raise up his spuits to praise God, but rise up out of his bed to bow the knee to him. Secret duties should be performed with some solemnity, not slubbered over. Praise, a special act of adoration, re- quireth the worship of body and soul.
Use. Let David's example condemn our backwardness and sluggish-, ness, who will not take those occasions which offer themselves. Mark,' he gave thanks when we fret ; at midnight he rose to do it with the more secrecy and fervency ; this not to pray only, but to give thanks.
SERMON LXXI.
I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. — Vek. C3.
In this verse two things are observable : —
1. A description of the people of God ; they are described by their principle, and by the course of their lives and actions, fear and obedience.
2. David's respect to them, I am a companion ofcdl them. More particularly : —
1. In the person speaking : the disparity of the persons is to be -observed. David, who was a great prophet, yea, a king, yet saith, * I am a companion of them that fear thee.' Christ himself called them his ' fellows :' Ps. xlv. 7. ' Thv God hath anointed thee with the oil of
172 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LXXL
gladness above thy fellows ; and therefore David might well say, ' I am a companion.'
2. David saith of all tJiem. The universal particle is to be observed ; not only some, but all : when any lighted upon him, or he upon any of them, they were welcome to him. How well would it be for the world if the great potentates of the earth would thus think, speak, and do : ' I am a companion of all them that fear thee.' Self-love reigneth in most men. We love the rich and despise the poor, and so ' have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons,' James ii. 1 ; there- fore this universality is to be regarded. ' Hearing of your faith and love to all the saints,' Eph. i. 15, to the mean, as well as the greatest. Meanness doth not take away church relations, 1 Cor. xi. 20. There are many differences in worldly respects between one child of God and another, yea, in spiritual gifts, some weaker, some stronger, but we must love all, for all are children of one Father, all owned by Christ, ' He is not ashamed to call them brethren,' Heb. ii. 11. This, I say, is observable, the disparity of the persons — on the one side David, on the other all the people of God.
First, Let us take notice of the description of the people of God. They are such as fear him and keep his precepts, that is, obey him conscientiously, out of reverence to his majesty and goodness, and due regard to his will delivered in his word. The same description is used : Acts X. 35, ' In every nation he that feareth God and worketh right- eousness is accepted with him.' Note hence —
Doct. r. The fear of God is the grand principle of obedience : Deut. V. 29, ' Oh, that there were such an heart within them, that they would fear me and feep my commandments always.' Here consider —
1. What is the fear of God.
2. What influence it hath upon obedience.
1. What is the fear of God? There is a twofold fear of God — servile and filial.
[1.] Servile, by which a man feareth God and hateth him, as a slave feareth his cruel master, whom he could wish dead, and himself rid of his service, and obeyeth by mere compulsion and constraint. Thus the wicked fear God because they have drawn an ill picture of him in. their minds : Mat. xxv. 24, 25, ' I knew thou wast a hard man, and I was afraid.' They perform only a little unwilling and unpleasing service, and as little as they can, because of their ill conceit of God. So Adam feared God after his sin when he ran away from him. Gen. iii. 10. Yea, so the devils fear God, and rebel against him : James ii. 29, ' The devils also believe and tremble.' This fear hath torment in it to the creature, and hatred of God, because by the fear of his curse and the flames of hell he seeketh to drive them from sin.
[2.] Filial fear, as children fear to offend their dear parents ; and thus the godly do so fear God, that they do also love him, and obey him, and cleave to him, and this preserveth us in our duty : Jer. xxxii. 40, ' I will put my fear in their hearts, and they shall not depart from me." This is a necessary frame of heart for all those that would observe and obey God. This fear is twofokl : —
(1.) The fear of reverence.
(2.) The fear of caution.
VeR. 63.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 173
(1.) The fear of reverence, when the soul is deeply possessed with a sense of God's majesty and goodness, that it dareth not offend him. His greatness and majesty hath an influence upon this fear. ' Fear ye not me ? saith the Lord : will ye not tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it ? ' Jer. v. 22. His goodness and mercy : Hosea iii. 5, 'They shall fear the Lord, and his goodness;' Jer. x. 6, 7, ' There is none like unto thee, 0 Lord ; thou art great, and thy name is great in might : who would not fear thee, 0 king of nations?' Both together engage us to live always as in his eye and presence, and in the obedience of his holy will, studying to please him in all things.