before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord," Levit. xix. 14.

66

But shalt fear thy God." That is the remedy that will prevent their stumbling at you, at what else soever they stumble. Wherefore Paul says to Timothy, "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee,” 1 Tim. iv. 16. (12.) Another motive to fear, and to grow in this fear of God, is: this is the way to engage God to deliver thee from many outward dangers, whoever falls therein.

This is proved from the history of the Hebrew midwives. "The midwives," says Moses, feared God, and did not drown the men-children, as the king had commanded, but saved them alive." And what follows? "Therefore God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses," Exod. i. 17, 20, 21; that is, he sheltered them, and caused them to be hid from the rage and fury of the king, and that perhaps in some of the houses of the Egyptians themselves; for why might not the midwives be there hid as well as was Moses, even in the king's court?

And how many times are those that fear God said to be delivered, both by God and his holy angels, as I have already shown.

(13.) Another motive to fear, and to grow in this fear of God, is: this is the way to be delivered from errors and damnable opinions. There are some that perish in their righteousness; that is an error. There are some that perish in their wickedness; and that is an error also. Some, again, prolong their lives by

their wickedness, and others are righteous over much; and also some are over wise: and all these are snares, and pits, and holes. But then, sayest thou, how shall I escape? Indeed, that is the question, and the Holy Ghost resolves it thus: "He that feareth God shall come forth of them all," Eccles. vii. 18.

(14.) Another motive to fear, and to grow in this fear of God, is: such have leave, be they never so dark in their souls, to come boldly to Jesus Christ, and to trust in him for life. I told you before, that those that fear God have, in the general, a licence to trust in him; but now I tell you, and that in particular, that they, and they especially, may do it, and that though in the dark. You that sit in darkness, and have no light, if this grace of fear be alive in your hearts, you have this boldness: "Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God," Isa. 1. 10.

It is no small advantage, you know, when men have to deal in difficult matters, to have a patent or licence to deal now, to trust in the Lord is a difficult thing, yet the best and most gainful of all. But then, some will say, since it is so difficult, how may we do without danger? Why the text gives a licence, a patent to those to trust in his name that have his fear in their hearts. "Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God."

(15.) Another motive to fear, and to grow in the grace of fear, is: God will own and acknowledge such to be his, whoever he rejecteth. Yea, he will distinguish and separate them from all others in the day of his terrible judgments.

He will do with them as he did by those that sighed for the abominations that were done in the land, command the man that hath his inkhorn by his side to set a mark upon their foreheads, that they might not fall in that judgment with others.

So God says plainly of those that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name, that they should be written in his book: "A book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him," Mal. iii. 16, 17.

Mark; he both acknowledges them for his, and also promises to spare them as a man would spare his own son. Yea, moreover, he will wrap them up as his chief jewels in the bundle of life. Thus much for the motives.

Having given you these motives to the duty of growing in this fear of God, before I leave this use, I will, in few words, show you how you may grow in this fear of God.

1. First, then, if thou wouldst grow in this fear of God, learn aright to distinguish of fear in general. I mean, learn to distinguish between that fear that is godly, and that which in itself is indeed ungodly fear of God, and know them well the one from the other, lest the one, the fear that in itself indeed is ungodly, get the place, even the upper hand, of that which truly is godly fear. And remember the ungodly fear of God, is by God himself counted an enemy to him, and hurtful to his people, and is therefore most plentifully forbidden in the word.

2. If thou wouldst grow in this godly fear,

learn rightly to distinguish it from that fear in particular that is godly but for a time; even from that fear that is wrought from the Spirit, as a Spirit of bondage. I say, learn to distinguish this from that, and also perfectly to know the bounds that God hath set to that fear that is wrought by the Spirit, as a Spirit of bondage; lest, instead of growing in the fear that is to abide with thy soul for ever, thou be overrun again with that first fear, which is to abide with thee but till the Spirit of adoption come. And that you may not only distinguish them one from the other, but also keep each in its due place and bounds, consider, in general, of what hath already been said upon this head, and, in particular, that the first fear is no more wrought by the Holy Spirit, but by the devil, to distress thee, and make thee to live, not like a son, but a slave. And for thy better help in this matter, know that God himself hath set bounds to this fear, and has concluded that after the Spirit of adoption is come, that other fear is wrought in thy heart by him no more.

Again; before I leave this, let me tell thee, that if thou dost not well bestir thee in this matter, this bondage fear, namely, that which is like it, though not wrought in thee by the Holy Ghost, will, by the management and subtilty of the devil, the author of it, haunt, disturb, and make thee live uncomfortably, and that while thou art an heir of God and his kingdom. This is that fear that the apostle speaks of, that makes men all their lifetime subject to bondage, Heb. ii. 15.

For though Christ will deliver thee indeed at last, thou having embraced him by faith, yet thy life will be full of trouble; and death, though Jesus hath abolished it, will be always a frightful object to thee,

in all thy ways and thoughts, to break thy peace, and to make thee to draw thy loins heavily after him.

3. Wouldst thou grow in this godly fear? Then as thou shouldst learn to distinguish of fears, so thou shouldst make conscience of which to entertain and cherish. If God would have his fear, (and it is called his fear by way of eminency; "That his fear may be before you, that you sin not," Exod. xx. 20;) I say, if God would have this his fear be with thee, then thou shouldst make conscience of this, and not so lightly give way to slavish fear as is common for Christians to do.

There is utterly a fault among Christians about this thing; that is, they make not that conscience of resisting slavish fear as they ought; they rather cherish and entertain it, and so weaken themselves and that fear which they ought to strengthen. And this is the reason that we so often lie struggling under the black and amazing thoughts that are engendered in our hearts by unbelief: for this fear nourisheth unbelief; that is, now it doth, namely, if we give way to it after the Spirit of adoption is come, and readily closeth with all the fiery darts of

the wicked.

But Christians are ready to do with this fear as the horse does when the spur is set against his side, even lean to it until it entereth into his belly. We lean naturally to this fear, I mean, after God has done good to our souls: it is hard striving against it, because it has even our sense and feeling on its side.

But I say, if thou wouldst be a growing Christian, growing, I say, in the fear that is godly, in the fear that is always so; then make conscience of striving against the other, and against all these things that would bring thee back to it. Wherefore