Secondly, The persons fearing, Paul and his colleagues, together with all the parties who are to be judged. That the unspeakable terror of the Lord is a rational, just and equitable ground of fear, we have seen already ; but the doubt is how this could be so to Paul and his colleagues, especially if we consider it mainly, as we ought, with res- pect to the execution of punishment, or the wrath of God, that shall abide on the impenitent. I answer,
1. To be only moved with terror is slavish. The wicked may out of fear of hell be frighted into a little religiousness, but Paul was moved by other principles, hope and love as well as fear ; see the 14th ver., ' The love of Christ constraineth us."" But this among the rest is allowable ; it is one of the Spirit's motives to quicken us to fly to Christ, and to take sanctuary at his grace, Heb. vi. 18 ; to engage us to thankfulness for our deliverance, 1 Thes. i. 10 : yea, to stir us up to more holy diligence and solicitude in pleasing God, Heb. xiii. 28, 29. The eternal wrath of God, among other things, doth rouse us up to serve him with godly fear,
2. Though Paul and his colleagues had the love of God shed abroad in their hearts, and were assured of his favour, and their everlasting salvation, 3'et knowing the terror of the Lord, they had a deeper rever- ence of his majesty, and so afi-aid to displease him, or to be unfaithful in their charge and trust, and could not endure that any others should do so. Reverence of God, as one able to destroy us and cast body and soul into hell-fire, is always necessary. The fear of reverence remaineth in heaven, in the glorified saints and angels, and Christ presseth us to this fear, Luke xii. 3, 4.
3. We must distinguish between a perplexing, distrustful fear, and an aweful, preventive, eschewing fear. A distracting, tormenting fear of hell, or the wrath of God, would weaken our delight in God, and therefore the love of God casts out this fear. 1 Jolin. iv. 18. But now the aweful fear, fleeing from wrath to come, this doth not destroy peace of conscience, or joy in the Holy Ghost, but guard it rather. This
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only quickeneth us to use those means by which we may avoid so great an evil. Instances we have in scripture. Job, that was sure that his Redeemer lived, Job xix., yet destruction from the Lord was a terror to him, chap. xxxi. ; that is, he thought himself obliged to use all those means by which he might shun so great an evil. So Paul ; ' We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens ; ' — yet, ' knowing the terror of the Lord.'
4. There are great reasons why this terror should have an influence upon us, while we dwell in flesh.
(1.) Because it was once our due, Eph. iii. 2. And though we are delivered from it by God's grace, yet still it is a fearful state, which we cannot sufficiently shun and avoid. (2.) We still deserve it, after grace hath made a change in our condition. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ, Rom. viii. 1, yet many things are con- demnable. We now and then do those things for which the wrath of God Cometh upon the children of disobedience ; we deserve that God should say to us. Depart, ye cursed. (3.) It is certainly a great and extreme difficulty to get free from so great an evil, 1 Peter iv. 18. We cannot get to the harbour but by encountering many a terrible storm ; and God is fain to discipline us, that we may not be condemned with the world, 1 Cor. xi. 32. I know I shall be saved, but it is a difficult thing to save me.
Thirdly, The means ; how this fear cometli to be raised in us, * know- ing.' This implieth three things : (1.) A clear and explicit apprehen- sion ; (2.) A firm assent ; (3.) Serious consideration.
1. A distinct knowledge of this article of Christ's coming to judg- ment : 1 Thes. v. 2, ' You yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord so cometh, as a thief in the night.' It is good not only to know things, but to know them perfectly ; for though a man may be saved by an implicit faith, as he knoweth things in their common principle, yet explicit faith and plenitude of knowledge, or seeing round about the compass of any truth, conduceth much to the practical improvement of it ; instance in the creation of the world. To know the general truth may make me safe, but a distinct explication thereof maketh us more admire the wisdom, goodness, and power of God. So for providence ; it engageth my dependence to know there is a pro- vidence, but it helpeth my dependence to know how it is managed for the good of God's children : ' They that know thy name, will put their trust in thee,' Ps. ix. 10. So the doctrine of justification by Christ. The thing is plain in all points.