(od.) It breedeth zeal and diligence in the great and general busi- ness of our salvation, and maketh us more careful to approve ourselves unto God in our whole course, that we may be accepted of him : 2 Cor. vii. 1, ' Perfecting holiness in the fear of God." God is a great God, and will not be put off with anything, or served with a little religious- ness by the by, l3ut with more than ordinary care and zeal and dili- gence. Now, what inclineth us to this but the fear of God, or a reverence of his majesty and goodness ? So Phil. ii. 12, let us ' work out our salvation with fear and trembling.' Salvation is not to be looked after between sleeping and waking ; no, it requireth our great- est attention, as having a sense of the weightiness of the work upon our hearts.
Use. The use is to press us to two things : —
VeE. ()3.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 175
1. To fear God.
2. To keep his precepts if we would come under the character of his people.
1. To fear God. Be not prejudiced against this grace ; it is generally looked upon as a left-handed grace.
[1.] It is not contrary to our blessedness: Prov. xxviii. 14, ' Blessed is he that feareth always.' It doth not infringe the happiness of our lives to be always in God's company, mindful of our duty to him. The angels in heaven always behold the face of our heavenly Father, and in that vision their supreme happiness consists. There is a fear of angels and a fear of devils. The angels ever fear and reverence God, the devils believe and tremble : the angels' fear is reverence, the devils' fear is torment. God doth not require that we should always perplex ourselves with terrors and scruples — that were a torture, not a blessedness ; but God hath required that we should always have a deep sense of his majesty and goodness impressed upon our hearts. In heaven this fear will not cease ; it is an essential respect due from the creature to the Creator ; and as we shall love him, so fear him always ; and if a godly man were put to his choice, he would not be without this fear of God. To live always in an admiration of his excellent majesty, a thankful sense of his goodness, and a regard to his eye and presence, this is our happiness.
[2.] It is not contrary to our comfort and joy in the Lord. Fear to offend God, and joy in his favour may well stand together: Ps. ii. 10, * Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.' There is a sweet mixture in a gracious heart of holy awe and seriousness, wath a delightful sense of God's goodness: these graces may easily be combined and brought to kiss one another : Ps. cxii. 1, ' Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his commandments.' When we do most carefully abstain from what displeaseth him, we have most sense of his love, and do most cheerfully practise what he requireth of us. All other pleasures and delights are but May-games and toys to that of a strict obedience, which giveth the soul a continual feast : Acts ix. 31, ' They walked in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost.' None have such a comfortable life as they who are most careful to avoid sin. We need this mixture : we should grow slight and secure without fear, and slavish without comfort : there must be fear to weaken the security of the flesh, and joy of faith to revive the soul.
[3.] It is not contrary to courage and holy boldness, by which we should bear up under troubles and dangers. There is a sj^rit of fear opposite to a sound mind, 2 Tim. i. 7, when men are ashamed of the gos- pel, or afraid of the persecutions which accompany it : irvevfia 8ov\eia<;, a cowardly spirit, a worldly fear of adversities, and dangers, losses, reproaches. So we are commanded, ' Fear not their fear, but sanctify the Lord God of hosts in your hearts, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread,' Isa. viii. 12, 13. No ; this is the fear of the world ; but I press to the fear of the Lord : Luke xii. 4, 5, * Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do ; but I will forewarn you whom you shall fear : fear him which, after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell ; yea, I say
176' SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LXXL
unto you, fear him.' This is the best cure of the fear of the world, as one nail driveth out another. The fear to offend God inilameth our •courage, and doth not abate it.
[4.] It is not contrary to the grace of the gospel. No ; it is the fruit of it : Ps. cxxx. 4, ' There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.' The heart is shy of a condemning God, but closeth with and adhereth to a pardoning God ; and nothing breedeth this fear to offend so much as a tender sense of the Lord's goodness in Christ.