1. All graces are conjoined, though they seem contrary. See how tbey are conjoined in scripture. Ps. cxix. 119, 120, there is fear and love — ' I love thy testimonies ; ' and then presently, ' My flesh trembleth because of thy judgments ; ' so Ps. cxii. 1, ' Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.' Fear and delight are joined together: so Acts ix. 31, 'They walked in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost.' There
196 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XXXVII.
was something likely to entice them into a snare, and something likely to oppress them. That which was likely to draw and entice them out of the way was the relics of sin, the baits of the world, and the sugges- tions of Satan ; therefore they walked ' in the fear of the Lord.' That which was likely to oppress them was tlie burden of their own con- science, and outward crosses ready to overwhelm them ; therefore it is said, they walked in the ' comforts of the Holy Ghost.' There is need of a double remedy. They walked with ' fear' to keep them from sin ; and they walked in the ' comforts of the Holy Ghost' to keep them from sinking under affliction. On earth we still need this mixture ; in heaven there is all joy, no fear of punishment. But on earth there is a mixture of flesh and spirit, something to comfort us, and something to humble us ; there is no true piety without either. Tlie object of these affections is often changed. The children of God can fear him for his goodness, and love him for his judgments : Hosea iii. 4, ' They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days ;' Ps. cxix. 62, ' At midnight I will arise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments.' Love would grow secure without fear, and fear would grow slavish without love ; therefore these graces are conjoined, that there may be a fit temper both of reverence and sweetness.
2. All these graces flow from faith ; for all affection is grounded upon persuasion. AVho would fear the threatening that doth not believe it ? or fear to offend God that doth not love him, and that doth not acknowledge there is a God ? The fear of the people of Nineveh is excited by their faith : Jonah iii. 5, ' The people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and juit on sackcloth ;' and the word, which is the object of faith, is the object of fear. They that feared the word of the Lord housed their cattle, Exod. ix. 20 ; that is, they that believed the word.
But now the great question is, what is this godly fear ? There are three effects by which it may be discerned — caution, diligence, and reverence ; caution respects sin, diligence respects duty, dread and }-everence respects God himself.
[1.] There is caution, or a cautelous prudence — a fear lest we should dash the foot of our faith against the several stumbling blocks that are in the world. Look, as those that carry precious liquor in a brittle vessel, are very cautelous ; especially if they walk in tie dark or rough ways, they walk with care lest the vessel be broken — and the liquor spilt. The children of God know what a precious treasure they have about them, that they have a soul that cannot be valued ; and they know that the world is a rough passage, and here many stones of stumbling ; therefore they ' Work out their salvation with fear and trembling, ' Phil. ii. 12. The main grace that keeps in and maintains the fire of religion in the soul is a cautelous fear ; they consider their own hearts, look for direction from the word, and call in the help of the Spirit : Heb. iv. 1, ' Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left unto us of entering into his rest, any of us should seem to come short of it. ' This doth not hinder the assurance of faith, but guard it.
[2.] There is diligence in fear, and that respecteth duty. Every good fear endeth in duty ; it ariseth from faith, and ends in duty ; it stirs up the soul to use all the means to prevent the danger. If Noah had not
VeR. 7.] SERMON'S UPON HEBREWS XI. 197
Relieved, he had never feared ; if he had not feared, he had never pre- pared an ark. The fear of the wicked ends in irresolution, perplexity, and despair ; their terrors difier only in degree and duration from the ])ains of hell — mere involuntary impressions, whose end is not duty, but despair and torment ; hut the fear of the godly sets them a-work. Koah, being moved with fear, sets to building the ark. It is said of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. xx. 3, ' He feared, and. set himself to seek the Lord ; ' so Paul, Acts ix. 6, ' He trembling and astonished said. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? ' As if he had said, Lord, I see my 'danger, what is my work ?