That vain courage which some have to brag of, ' I fear not death,' this is not that meant here ; for, alas ! such braggers, out of ignorance of the thing, and desire to be out of misery in this life, may embrace death willingly, hoping it may put an end to their miseries. But this spirit not to fear again, is such a spirit that assures me of the forgiveness of all my sins, shewing me my freedom in Christ Jesus fi-om hell and eternal condemna- tion, making me live an holy life, and from hence not to fear; and so seals us up unto the day of i-edemption, as we shall hear anon, when we come unto the witness of this Spirit. This is for the glory of his justice.
2. Merci/. Secondly, It is requisite that the Comforter should work a fear in men, for the glory of his mercy, which would never be so sweet, nor relish so well, nor be esteemed of us, if the awful terrors of justice had not formerly made us smart ; as we may sea in that parable, Mat. xviii. 23, whereunto our Saviour hkens the kingdom of heaven, of that man who owed ten thousand talents unto the king his master. He shews he forgives him all. But what did he first '? He requires the whole debt of him ; and because he had nothing to pay, he commands him, his wife and children, and all that he had, to be sold, that payment might be made. First, he would have him pinch, thoroughly to know how much he was indebted ; and in that case how high that favour was which he received in forgiving him all. Thus a king, for great faults, casts men into prison ere he pardon them, and then mercy is mercy indeed. So God deals with us. Many times he puts his children in fear, shews them how much they owe, how unable they are to pay, casts them into prison, and threatens condemnation in hell for ever. After which, when mercy comes to the soul, then it appears to be a wonderful mercy, yea, the acts of exceeding mercy. Why do so many find no savour in the gospel ? Is it because there is no witness or matter of delight in it ? No. It is because such have had no taste of the law and of the spirit of bondage ; they have not smarted, nor found a sense of the bitterness of sins, nor of the just punishment due unto the same. Even as a king will sufi'er the law to pass on some gi-ievous male- factor for high treason, and cause him to be brought to the place of execu- tion, and lay his head on the block, ere he pardon, as we have had experience in this country. A man who otherwise would not cry, nor shed a tear for anything, despiseth death, and would not fear to meet an host of men, such a one now having at this instant a pardon brought from the king, it works wonderfully upon him, and will cause softness of heart and tears to come when nothing else could ; whilst the wonder of this mercy is admired ; which now appeareth so sweet and seasonable, that he is struck, and knows not what to say. So therefore, for this cause, God shews us first a spirit of fear and bondage, and prepares us to relish mercy ; and then the Spirit of adoption, not to fear again.
And thus, by this order, the one is magnified and___highly esteemed by the foregoing sense of the other.
If, therefore, this terror and fear be hard and troublesome unto us, yet if it be for God's glory, let us endure it. If he will give me over to a wounded, terrified conscience, to fears, tremblings, astonishments, yea, or to draw me to the fire itself, or to any other punishment, since it is for his
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glory, I must be contented. But what do I say? God gets nothing by us. All that we do is for ourselves. Our acknowledgment of him makes him no wiser, stronger, juster, nor better than he is. Job xxxv. 6, 7 ; but, in glorifying him, we do glorify ourselves, and so pass from glory to glory, until we be fully transformed into his image, 2 Cor. iii. 18. And herein consists our happiness in acknowledging of his wonderful attributes, that, by reflex of the knowledge of them, we may grow in them as much as may be for our good. He was as glorious, powerful, wise, just, happy, and good before the world was made as now. For if the case be put of glori- fying him, the persons of the Trinity were only worthy of so great honour, not we, as we may read Prov. viii. 80. There Wisdom shews how it ' was with the Father before all time, and that they did mutually solace them- selves in the contemplation of one another's glory.' Then, says Wisdom, • was I by him, as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him ;' and John xvii. 5, there we read the same in effect, where Christ prays, ' And now, 0 Father, glorify thou me, with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.' So that the beholding, magnifying, and admii'ing his glory as much as may be, labouring to be like him, is our glory. Thus much of the gloiy of God in beginning of his work in us by fear.