3. When the judgments of God break in among us, and are executed before our eyes, that must be the more considered : Isa. xxvi. 9, ' When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.' God looketh to be more reverenced and obeyed for this, because then what Avas before matter of faith is made matter of sense ; and we need not doubt any more whether God will punish the disobedient Avhen his threatening is made good. Smoke is a sign of fire, much more when the fire is breaking out ; and we see what we only heard before, and we feel what we would not believe before.
4. Though we should be well at ease in our own persons, yet the judgments upon others should be considered by us. Nehemiah, chap, i., preferred at court, yet hath a sad resentment of the state of Jerusalem. So Daniel, chap. ix. 5, a great man in Babylon, yet layeth to heart the judgments upon the people of God.
5. Though the judgment pursue but a few, yet all should fear. When Ananias antl Sapphira fell down dead, it is said. Acts v. 5, ' That great fear fell upon all that heard these things.' God, in one or a few, giveth an instance of his severity that others may tremble ; as it is said of David, when the breach was made upon Uzzah, 1
234 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. CXXXI.
Chron. xlii. 12, ' And David \v:is afraid of God that day, .sayins^, How shall I bring- the ark of God home to me?' The sin was Uzzah's, the breach only upon him, but the stroke was God's, and that maketh David tremble. Yea, the pagan mariners, when divine vengeance had pursued Jonah, chap. i. 18, ' Then the men feared the Lord exceed- ingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and made vows.' The danger was for Jonah's sake ; when he was thrown overboard, tliere was a calm ; but the men feared greatly.
6. Though it should light u})on enemies to us and God, yet their fall is not to be insulted over, but God's hand observed with great rever- ence : ' Thou puttest away the wicked of the earth like dross ; ' then ' my flesh trembleth,' saith David. So in Ps. Ixxvi. 6, 7, ' At thy rebuke, 0 God of Jacob, both the chariot and the horse are cast into a deep sleep. Thou, even thou, art to be feared ; and who may stand in thy sight when once tliou art angry ?' We ought to express a sense of our Father's displeasure, as a child quaketh when he heareth his father is angry with or doth correct a servant. Naturalists say a lion will tremble to see a dog beaten before him : Ps. lii. 6, ' The righteous also shall see and fear.' The godly will be wise observers of God's work and dispensations of justice, and the spiritual advantage they may gain thereby : Prov. xxi. 12, ' The righteous man wisely considcreth the house of the Avicked, and that God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.' Holy men do exceedingly profit by these judgments.
7. Much more should we tremble at God's judgments upon his own people, when he cometli to visit their iniquities with rods and their transgressions with scourges. If this be done in the green tree, what in the dry ? ' If judgment begin at the house of God, where shall the imgodly and sinner appear?' 1 Peter iv. 18. Many times they are broken with a great breach and heavy corrections : Jer. xxv. 17, ' Then I took the cup at the Lord's hand, and made all the nations to drink.' His own people sip of the bitter cup that others drank the dregs of. The world shall know that he is a God hating sin, and therefore will punish them for it, lest he should seem to approve their sin. Though God doth not condemn his people to hell for their sin, yet by his sharp corrections of them in this life the world shall know how much he hateth sin ; especially when they have made the name of God to be evil spoken of. God will vindicate himself. Now these should make us tremble ; they are ordered for this purpose.
Secondly, I shall inquire what this fear is, an infirmity or a dut}'. To many, to fear judgments seemeth slavish, and thereupon build a false conceit, that God only is to be feared for his mercies and not for his judgments. Indeed ' God is feared for his goodness,' Hosea iii. 5, but not only. Judgments are the object of fear ; and the fear con- versant about them may be so far from being a sin that it is a grace. Briefly, then, it is not such a fear as driveth us from God, Gen. iii. 5, but bringeth us to him, keepeth us with him : ' I will put my fear into- their hearts, and they shall never dej)art from me,' Jer. xxxii. 40. They are afraid both to sin and to suffer for sin. Afraid to sin, and so it is the fear of caution and circums])cction. Certainly it can be no fault to be afraid of that which dcserveih punishment or judgment ; and afraid to suffer for sin in this world, where all things come alike to all ; and