but wilt go on to the end now thou art got hither, then,

2. Secondly, and particularly, I conclude with these several propositions concerning those that fear not God.

(1.) That man that is proud, and of an high and lofty mind, fears not God. This is plain from the exhortation, "Be not highminded, but fear," Rom. xi. 20. Here you see that a high mind and the fear of God are set in direct opposition the one to the other, and there is in them, closely concluded by the apostle, that where indeed the one is there cannot be the other; where there is a high mind, there is not the fear of God, and where there is the fear of God, the mind is not high, but lowly. Can a man at the same time be a proud man and fear God too? Why then is it said, God beholdeth every one that is proud, and abases him; and again, that he beholds the proud afar off? Job xl. 11; Psa. cxxxviii. 6.

He, therefore, that is proud of his person, of his riches, of his office, of his parts, and the like, feareth not God. It is also manifest further, for "God resisteth the proud," James iv. 6, which he would not do if he feared him; but in that he sets him at such a distance from him, in that he testifies that he will abase him and resist him, it is evident that he is not the man that hath this grace of fear; for that man, as I have showed you, is the man of God's delight, the object of his pleasure.

(2.) The covetous man feareth not God. This also is plain from the word, because it setteth covetousness and the fear of God in direct opposition. Men that fear God are said to hate covetousness, Exod. xviii. 21. Besides, the covetous man is called an idolater, and is said to have no part in the kingdom of Christ and

of God, Col. iii. 5. And again; "The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth,” Psa. x. 3.

Hearken to this, you that hunt the world to take it, you that care not how you get, so you get the world; also, you that make even religion your stalking-horse to get the world. You fear not God. And what will you do, whose hearts go after your covetousness? you who are led by covetousness up and down, as it were by the nose; sometimes to swear, to lie, to cozen, and cheat and defraud, when you can get the advantage to do it. You are far, very far from the fear of God. "Ye adulterers and adulteresses," for so the covetous are called, “know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God," James iv. 4.

(3.) The riotous eaters of flesh have not the fear of God; for this is done without fear, Jude 12. Gluttony is a sin little taken notice of, and as little repented of by those that use it; but yet it is odious in the sight of God, and the practice of it a demonstration of the want of his fear in the heart; yea, so odious is it, that God forbids that his people should so much as company with such. "Be not," saith

he, "

among wine-bibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh," Prov. xxiii. 20. And he further tells us, that those that are such are spots and blemishes to those that keep them company, for indeed they fear not God, 2 Peter ii. 13.

Alas! some men are as if they were born for nought else but to eat, and to drink, and pamper their carcasses with the dainties of this world, quite forgetting why God sent them hither; but such, as is said, fear not God, and so, consequently, are of the

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number of those upon whom the day of judgment will come unawares, Luke xxi. 34.

(4.) The liar is one that fears not God. This also is evident from a plain text; "Thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart; have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?" Isa. lvii. 11. What lie this was is not material; it was a lie, or a course of lying, that is here rebuked, and the person or persons in this practice, as is said, were such as feared not God; a course of lying and the fear of God cannot stand together.

This sin of lying is a common sin, and it walketh in the world in several guises. There is the profane scoffing liar; there is the cunning artificial liar; there is the hypocritical religious liar; with liars of other ranks and degrees; but none of them all have the fear of God, nor shall any of them, except they repent, escape the damnation of hell. "All liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone," Rev. xxi. 8. Heaven and the new Jerusalem are not a place for such: "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie," ver. 27. Therefore another scripture says, "Without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie," chap. xxii. 15. But this should not be their sentence, judgment, and condemnation, if those that are liars were such as had in them this blessed fear of God.

(5.) Those fear not God who cry unto him for help in the time of their calamity, and when they are delivered return to their former rebellion. Moses, in a spirit of prophecy, asserteth this, at the time of the

mighty judgment of the hail. Pharaoh then desired him to pray to God that he would take away that judgment from him. Well, so I will, said Moses, "but as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not fear the Lord God," Exod. ix. 30. As if he should say, I know that so soon as this judgment is removed, you will go to your old rebellion again. And what greater demonstration can be given that such a man feareth not God, than to cry to God to be delivered from affliction to prosperity, and to spend that prosperity in rebellion against him? This is crying for mercies that they may be spent, or that we may have something to spend, upon our lusts, and in the service of Satan, James iv. 3.

Of these God complains in Ezekiel; "Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them," Ezek. xvi. 17.

This was for want of the fear of God. Many of this kind there be now in the world, both of men, and women, and children. Art not thou that readest 'this book of this number? Hast thou not cried for health when sick, for wealth when poor, when lame for strength, when in prison for liberty, and then spent all that thou gottest by thy prayer in the service of Satan, and to gratify thy lusts? Look to it, sinner, these things are signs that with thy heart thou fearest not God.

(6.) Those fear not God that waylay his people, and seek to overthrow them, or to turn them besides the right path, as they are journeying from hence to their eternal rest. This is evident from the plain text, "Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;

how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God,” Deut. xxv. 17, 18.

Many such Amalekites there be now in the world, that have set themselves against the feeble of the flock especially, still smiting them, some by power, some with the tongue, some in their lives and estates, some in their names and reputations, by scandal, slanders, and reproach; but the reason of this their ungodly practice is this, they fear not God; for did they fear him they would be afraid to so much as think, much more of attempting to afflict and destroy, and calumniate the children of God: but such there have been, such there are, and such there will be in the world, for all men fear not God.

(7.) Those fear not God who see his hand upon backsliders for their sins, and yet themselves will be backsliders also. "I saw," saith God, "when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also,” Jer. iii. 8.

Judah saw that her sister was put away, and delivered by God into the hand of Salmanezer, who carried her away beyond Babylon; and yet, though she saw it, she went and played the harlot also, a sign of great hardness of heart, and of the want of the fear of God indeed; for his fear, had it been in her heart, would have taught her to have trembled at the judgment that was executed upon her sister, and not to have gone and played the harlot also; and not to have done it while her sister's judgment was in sight and memory. But what is it that a heart that is destitute of the fear of God will not do? No sin