This therefore justifies those ministers that in these days of the gospel do enforce the law ; and people must not be otlended thereat, but suffer their consciences to be laid open, that the word may come close and home to them ; and secondly, they must use the means, to come to a sense and feelinr' of their sin. To which end let its viake sin as odious and dangerous in our eyes as ire can. It is odious to God. To us it is poison and leprosy though we cherish it, and hate ministers and friends for touching it. It is abomination to God. It thrusts him out of our hearts, and puts in the devil, God's arch enemy. It causes us to prefer base pleasure, fading pro- fits, before the favour and mercy and love of God. Must not this needs be liateful to God ? ]jut then how much more intolerable are those sins that bring neither profit nor pleasure, but causes us to thrust out God, even because we will ? But this is not all, for as it is abominable to God, so it is dangerous to vs ; for whence comes judgments ? "Whence is it that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven ? Bom. i. 18. "Whence is sickness, disgrace, troubles ? All these are the fruits of sin. Nothing makes us miserable but sin. Take a man when he lies a-dying. Ask him what troubles him ? Oh ! he cries out of sin, of the wrath of God. He feels not sickness, even as the gout is not felt by one that hath a fit of the stone upon him. Let us think of this in time ; let us shame the devil, shame ourselves. But is this all ? No. Judas saw his sin and confessed, yei was he never the better. He wanted that which should make his repent- ance perfect. He wanted faith to lay hold on pardon. A poor man is fit for treasure, but unless he lay hold on treasui-e, he shall never be rich.
AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. 177
Therefore faith and repentance are ever joined in the gospel. Repent and beUeve the gospel, as was said to the jailor. So Christ saith, * Come to me,' Mat. xi. 28. Christ came to satisfy for all sin, to cure all diseases, but they must first come to him, and sa}', ' Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean,' Mat. viii. 2 ; and to such as these I may say, as they said to the blind man, ' Be of comfort, for Christ calls thee,' Mark x. 19.
' That thou maj'est be feared.'
Fear in this place is taken for the spiritual worship of God, arising from a reverential fear mingled with love. ' Fear God and keep his command- ments,' Eccles. xii. 13, is the whole duty of man. So that these words being considered with the former^ brings this observation to our con- sideration.
Doct. That GocVs goodness, forgiveness, grace, and mercy, is a means to stir up his children to all duties ; and therefore we are commanded to do all things in fear : to * work out our salvation with fear,' Philip, ii. 12, eat and drink with fear ; and in Jude 12, the wicked are branded with this, ' that they eat without fear.' So as whatever we do, we must do it in fear, shew- ing the reverence of God continually, and jealousy over ourselves, lest we should stop the light of God's countenance from us.
Quest. But it will be said. How is it then said ' that we should serve him without fear,' 1 Cor. xvi. 10, being redeemed from our enemies?
Ans. I answer, There is a twofold fear : one a slavish fear, whereof that place is meant. We should serve him without fear of damnation, of punish- ment, and of judgment. But the fear that we speak of here is a fear of reverence and love, that stirs us up to worship him.
Quest. But how doth it stir to duty ? may some say.
Ans. I answer, first, it stirs up faith in our hearts. Hope of forgiveness will cause us to cast ourselves into their arms whom we have offended. Where no hope of mercy is, there follows nothing but fear, causing us to fly away ; even as we see proclamation of pardon to rebels causes them to come in, but the contrary makes them run away. Again, sense of forgive- ness works more love. David's murder, Paul's persecution, Peter's denial, caused abundance of love. Where many sins are forgiven, there will be much love, Luke vii. 47 ; and where much love is, there will be obedience to all God's commandments, for ' love is the fulfilling of the law,' Piom. xiii. 10. Contrarily, desperation is the ground of all sin. This is the ground of all hate. The devils they hate God. Because they know there is no remedy left for them, therefore they cannot endure the remembrance of him. Contrariwise, as it is Ps. Ixv. 2, ' Unto thee shall all flesh come.' Why ? * For thou heai'est prayer.' Again, fear and forgivotess are joined in the new covenant. ' I will put my fear in thy heart, and thou shalt not depart from me,' Jer. xxxii. 40 ; and Christ, to all his, is both king, priest, and prophet. He comes to all by water as well as blood. He is become righteousness, wisdom, and holiness, 1 Cor. i. 30. Again, a Christian he will, bi) reason, enforce this on himself, as Paul did, 2 Cor. v. 15. Christ died for us ; therefore must we live to him, and not to ourselves.