whether they cultivated these dispositions or not, we see what dispositions God approves. It is his wish to find in all of us, A reverential fear of God — A love to Jesus as our Mediator — and An unfeigned delight in his commands.
First, he desires to find in us A reverential fear of God. That ease, that indifference, that security, which men in general indulge, is most displeasing to him. Behold, how he addresses men of this descrip- tion by the Prophet Jeremiah : " Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding ; which have eyes, and see not ; which have ears, and hear not : Fear ye not me ? saith the Lord : will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it ; and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail ; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it ? But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart ; they are revolted and gone : neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our Godm." Hear too what he says by the Prophet Zephaniah : " I will search Jerusalem with candles, and will punish the men that are settled on their lees11." It is thought by many, that, if they commit no flagrant enormity, they have no cause to fear : but even a heathen, when brought to a right mind, saw the folly and impiety of such a conceit, and issued a decree to all the sub- jects of his realm, that they should all "tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, who is the living God, and steadfast for ever0." Such a state of mind is dreaded, from an idea that it must of necessity be destructive of all happiness. This however is not true : on the contrary, the more of holy fear we have in our hearts, the happier we shall be. If indeed our fear be only of a slavish kind, it will make us unhappy ; but, in proportion as it partakes of filial regard, and has respect to God as a Father, it will become a source of unspeakable peace and joy. The testimony of Solomon is, " Happy is the man that
m Jer. v. 21 — 24. n Zeph. i. 12. ° Dan. vi. 26.