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202 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IV.
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consuming fire.” The fear of dread and terror in God, requires the fear of reverence in us, in all that we have todo with him. A respect hereunto is expressed by sinners, Isa, xxxiii. 14, and Mie. vi. 6, 7.
(2.) Fear expresseth that frame of heart and spirit which is in men towards an object apprehended dreadful and fearful. And this also is twofold:—
[1.] A consternation and dread of spirit, on the apprehension of God as an enemy, as one that will punish and avenge sin. This is TY), which is joined with 828, Ps. lv. 6, “a trembling horror.” This befell Adam upon his sin, and that inquisition that God made about it, Gen. iii. 10; and Cain, Gen. iv. 13. Such a consideration of God as would beget this frame in him Job often deprecates, chap. ix. 34, xxiii, 6. And the same is intended in the places above cited, Isa. xxxiil. 14; Mic. vi. 6,7. Something hereof befell them of old who, upon the apprehension that they had seen God, concluded that they should die. They had a dread which fell on them from an apprehen- sion of his excellency and holiness, and terrified them with thoughts that they should be consumed. And this fear, in its latitude, is a consternation of spirit, on an apprehension of God’s greatness and ma- jesty, with respect unto present or future judgments,—when the mind is not relieved by faith in the reconciliation made by Jesus Christ,— weakening, disheartening, and alienating the heart from God.
[2.] An awful fear of God’s greatness and holiness, with respect unto deserved and impendent judgments in this world. This fear may befall believers, and be at some seasons their especial duty. This David expresseth, Ps. cxix. 120, “My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.” And elsewhere on the same account he declares that “fearfulness and trembling laid hold on him,” Ps, lv. 5. So Habakkuk expresseth his condition under the like apprehension, chap. ill. 16, “When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself.” And this fear of dread and terror, thus qualified, is both good and useful in its kind. And this is that which Joshua labours to ingenerate in the minds of the people, chap. xxiv. 19, 20. And of great use it is to the souls of men, both before and after their conversion unto God. Of a fear of awe and reverence in general, with respect unto the greatness and holiness of God, we shall treat afterwards,
2. There may be a fear of dread and terror in our way of obedi- ence, which may respect other things. Such are the oppositions and difficulties which we do or may meet withal, either from within or without, in our course, which may incline us to despondency and despair. This in particular befell David, when, notwithstanding the promise of God to the contrary, he concluded that “he should one cay perish by the hand of Saul,” 1 Sam, xxvii. 1. This the Seripture
VER. 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 203
expresseth by 19, which we render “to be dismayed,” Josh. i. 9, “Be not terrified, nor be thou dismayed.” The word signifies “to be broken;” and when applied unto the mind, it denotes “to be sore terrified, so as to sink in courage and resolution ;” which we well ex- press by being “dismayed,’—to be broken and weakened in mind, through a terror arising from the apprehension of oppositions, difficulties, and dangers. It is ascribed unto men when God strikes a terror into them, or when they are terrified with their own fears, Isa. xxx. 31, Jer. x. 2,—a consternation and horror of mind; and YW, a word of the same signification, is often joined with it. This fear, therefore, arising from a discouraging, terrifying apprehen- sion of dangers and oppositions, weakening and disenabling the soul to make use of due means vigorously in the discharge of its duty, can have no place here; yea, it is directly contrary to and inconsistent with the end aimed at by the apostle. And this is the first sort of fear that any way respects our religious obedience unto God. See Isa. viii. 12, 13, li. 12,18; Matt. x. 28.
Secondly, There is a fear of distrust and diffidence, or a fear arising from or accompanied with a distrust of the accomplishment of God’s promises, at least as to our interest inthem. This is a defect in faith, and opposite unto it. This was the fear which ruined the Israelites in the wilderness. Being discouraged through their difficulties, “They believed not in God, and trusted not in his salva- tion,” Ps. Ixxviii. 22. And this cannot be here charged on us as our duty. A fluctuation and hesitation of mind about the promises of God, or the event of our condition in a course of sincere obedience, is not required of us, nor accepted from us. For no duty is accept- able with God but what is not only consistent with faith, but also proceedeth from it. The same faith that works by love, works also by delight; and it casts out this fear of distrust and diffidence. And no fear can be our duty but what is a fruit and effect of it. Believers do not receive “the spirit of bondage again to fear,” Rom. viii. 15; nay, it is that which Christ died to deliver us from, Heb. ii. 14, 15. But it may be considered two ways;—1. Asit partakes of the nature of diffidence, in opposition to faith and liberty, and so it is utterly to be rejected; 2. As it partakes of the nature of godly jealousy, and is opposed to security, and so it may be cherished, though it be not here intended.