TtlE FEAR OF GOD ALL THE DAY.
Prov. xxiii. 17, 18. Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long : for surely there is an end : a?id thine expectation shall not be cut off.
THE men of this world, feeling but little restraint from the voice of conscience or the fear of God, gra- tify, each in his own way, their natural inclinations ; and therefore they appear happy : and the people of God, especially under troubles and persecutions for righteousness sake, are almost ready to look upon them with an eye of envy : and, if this world only were considered, and temporal enjoyments were the proper standard of happiness, perhaps they might on the whole be congratulated as possessing a happy and an enviable lot^. But the righteous, under whatever disadvantages they may lie, have no just cause to " envy sinners ;" seeing that nothing but disappoint- ment awaits the children of this world ; whilst the servants of God, who look forward to heavenly bliss, can never be disappointed of their hope. On this assurance the exhortation in my text is founded ; and for the fuller elucidation of the subject, I will set before you,
I. The duty inculcated —
" The fear of the Lord" is, especially in the Old Testament, a common expression, comprehending in its import the whole of practical religion. And when we are bidden to live under its influence " all the day long," we must understand the precept as en- joining us to maintain, throughout the whole course of our lives,
1. A sense of love to God, as our Father —
[Jehovah, as reconciled to us through the Son of his love,
stands in the relation of a Father to us ; for all, the very instant
they believe in Christ, have " the privilege of becoming the
Sons of God''." Till w^e come to God by Christ, we have no
filial fear of him in our hearts. A slavish fear of him we may
a Ps. Ixxiii. 3 — 5. ^ John i. 12.