1. The fear of reverence.

2. The fear of caution.

1. The fear of reverence; when the soul is deeply possessed with a sense of God's majesty and goodness, that it dareth not offend him. His greatness and majesty have an influence upon this fear, "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?" (Jer. v. 22;) his goodness and mercy, "Shall fear the Lord and his goodness" (Hos. iii. 5); “There is none like unto thee, O Lord: thou art great, and thy name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations?" (Jer. x. 6, 7.) Both together engage us to live always as in his eye and presence, and in the obedience of his holy will, studying to please him in all things.

2. The fear of caution is also called the fear of God; when we carry on the business of salvation with all possible solicitude and care. For it is no easy thing to please God and save our souls: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. ii. 12). In the time of our sojourning here, we meet with many temptations: baits without are many, and the flesh within us is importunate to be pleased, and our account at the end of the journey is very exact: "And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear" (1 Peter i. 17). A false heart is apt to betray us, and the entertainments of sense to entice and corrupt us, and we are assaulted on every side; and salvation and eternal happiness is the thing in chase and pursuit: if we come short of it, we are undone for ever: "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it" (Heb. iv. 1). There is no mending errors in the other world: there we shall be convinced of our mistakes to our confusion, but not to our conversion and salvation.

Secondly, The influence it hath upon keeping God's precepts.

1st, In general, this is one demonstration of it, that the most eminent servants of God have been commended for the fear of God. Job is said to be a man "perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil" (Job i. 1): he had a true godliness, or a filial awe of God, which kept him from sin, and the temptations whereby it might insinuate itself into his soul. So Obadiah, Ahab's steward, is described to be a man that "feared the Lord greatly" (1 Kings xviii. 3); and of one Hananiah it is said, that he feared God above many (Neh. vii. 2). Men are more holy as the fear of God doth more prevail in their hearts: their tenderness, both in avoiding and repenting of sin, increaseth according as they entertain the awe and fear of God in their hearts; and here is the rise and fountain of all circumspect walking. As the stream is dried up that wanteth a fountain, so godliness ceaseth as the fear of God abateth.

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2ndly, More particularly,

1. It is the great pull-back and constant preservative of the soul against sin. As the beasts are contained in their subjection and obedience to man by the fear that is upon them, "The dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth" (Gen. ix. 2), that they shall not hurt you; so the fear of God is upon us: "God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not" (Exod. xx. 20). Joseph is an instance: "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (Gen. xxxix. 9.) Abraham could promise himself little security in a place where

no fear of God was: "I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake" (Gen. xx. 11). Therefore, "Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long" (Prov. xxiii. 17). 2. It is the great excitement to obedience.

(1.) Duties of religion will not reverently and seriously be performed, unless there be a deep awe of God upon our souls. God will be sanctified in them that come nigh him (Lev. x. 3). Now, what is it to sanctify God in our hearts, but to fear his majesty, and greatness, and goodness: "Sanctify the Lord God of Hosts himself; and let him be your fear (Isa. viii. 13). Therefore David desireth God to call in his straggling thoughts and scattered affections: "Unite my heart to fear thy name (Psalm lxxxvi. 11): so the serious worshippers are described to be those that desire to fear his name (Neh. i. 11).

(2.) Duties towards men will not be regarded at all times and places, unless the fear of God bear rule in our hearts; as servants, when their masters are absent, neglect their work: "Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye service, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God" (Col. iii. 22). A Christian is alike everywhere, because God is alike everywhere. He that feareth God, needeth no other theatre than his own conscience, nor other spectators than God and his holy angels. So, to hinder us from contriving mischief in secret, when others are not aware of it: "Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God" (Lev. xix. 14). The deaf hear not, the blind see not; but God seeth and heareth; and that is enough to a gracious heart to bridle us, when it is in our power to hurt others as Joseph assureth his brethren he would be just to them, "For I fear God" (Gen. xlii. 18). Nehemiah did not convert the public treasures to his private use: "So did not I, because of the fear of God" (Neh. v. 15). This grace, when it is hazardous to be faithful to men, makes us to slight the danger: "The midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them" (Exod. i. 17); that kept them from obeying that cruel edict to their own hazard. Neither hope of gain nor fear of loss can prevail, where men fear God.

3. It breedeth zeal and diligence in the great and general business of our salvation, and maketh us more careful to approve ourselves unto God in our whole course, that we may be accepted of him: "Perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. vii. 1). God is a great God, and will not be put off with anything, or served with a little religiousness by-the-bye, but with more than ordinary care, and zeal, and diligence. Now, what inclineth us to this, but the fear of God, or a reverence of his majesty and goodness? So," Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. ii. 12). Salvation is not to be looked after between sleeping and waking: no; it requireth our greatest attention, as having a sense of the weightiness of the work upon our hearts.

USE. The use is to press to two things:

1. To fear God.

2. To keep his precepts, if we would come under the character of his people.

1. To fear God. Be not prejudiced against this grace: it is generally looked upon as a left-handed grace.

(1.) It is not contrary to our blessedness: "Happy is the man that feareth always" (Prov. xxviii. 14). It doth not infringe the happiness of

our lives to be always in God's company, mindful of our duty to him. The angels in Heaven always behold the face of our heavenly Father; and in that vision their supreme happiness consists. There is a fear of angels and a fear of devils. The angels ever fear and reverence God, "the devils believe and tremble:" the angels' fear is reverence, the devils' fear is torment. God doth not require that we should always perplex ourselves with terrors and scruples: that were a torture, not a blessedness; but God hath required that we should always have a deep sense of his majesty and goodness impressed upon our hearts. In Heaven, this fear will not cease: it is an essential respect due from the creature to the Creator: and, as we shall love him, so fear him always; and, if a godly man were put to his choice, he would not be without this fear of God. To live always in an admiration of his excellent majesty, a thankful sense of his goodness, and a regard to his eye and presence, this is our happiness. (2.) It is not contrary to our comfort and joy in the Lord. Fear to offend God and joy in his favour, may well stand together: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling" (Psalm ii. 11). There is a sweet mixture, in a gracious heart, of a holy awe and seriousness, with a delightful sense of God's goodness. These graces may easily be combined and brought to kiss one another: "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments" (Psalm cxii. 1). When we do most carefully abstain from what displeaseth him, we have most sense of his love, and do most cheerfully practise what he requireth of us. All other pleasures and delights are but may-games and toys to that of a strict obedience, which giveth the soul a continual feast: Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost" (Acts ix. 31). None have such a comfortable life as they who are most careful to avoid sin. We need this mixture: we should grow slight and secure without fear, and slavish without comfort. There must be fear to weaken the security of the flesh, and joy of faith to revive the soul.

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(3.) It is not contrary to courage and holy boldness, by which we should bear up under troubles and dangers. There is a spirit of fear" opposite to "a sound mind" (2 Tim. i. 7); when men are ashamed of the Gospel, or afraid of the persecutions which accompany it: veμa deλeíaç, a cowardly spirit, a worldly fear of adversities, and dangers, losses, reproaches. So we are commanded, "Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord God of Hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread" (Isa. viii. 12, 13). No; this is the fear of the world; but I press to the fear of the Lord: "Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do; but I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: fear him, which, after he hath killed, hath power to cast into Hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him" (Luke xii. 4, 5). This is the best cure of the fear of the world, as one nail driveth out another. The fear to offend God inflameth our courage, and doth not abate it.

(4.) It is not contrary to the grace of the Gospel. No; it is the fruit of it: "There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayst be feared" (Psalm cxxx. 4). The heart is shy of a condemning God, but closeth with and adhereth to a pardoning God; and nothing breedeth this fear to offend, so much as a tender sense of the Lord's goodness in Christ.

2. It presseth us to keep his precepts: that is the only evidence that the fear of God is rooted in our hearts. The heart must be prepared

to keep all they are all equally good, and they are all equally necessary; not one of them is in vain; and they are all joined together, like rings in a chain; and we are not sincere till we regard all: "Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments" (Psalm cxix. 6). The judgment must approve all: "Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way" (Psalm cxix. 128). The will must be set and fixed in a serious purpose to keep all, making conscience of the least as well as the greatest, the difficult as well as the easy: "We trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly" (Heb. xiii. 18). Earnest endeavours must be used to grow up to a more exact conformity to all: "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. iii. 14). Some corruption may remain, after all our endeavours; but none must be reserved or cherished in the heart: "If I regard iniquity in my heart” (Psalm lxvi. 18). There will be a secret love to some sins more than others; but it must not be indulged, but checked, and striven against, and prayed against: "Let not any iniquity have dominion over me" (Psalm cxix. 133): and this praying and striving must produce some effect, that, in some measure, it may be said of us what was said of Zacharias and Elizabeth: "They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" (Luke i. 6); and we must increase and grow in this more and more: "Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness" (Col. i. 11); and, "As ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more" (1 Thess. iv. 1). The entertaining of some bosom-sin which we are loath to part withal, darkeneth our whole comfort.

Secondly, David's professed respect to this sort of men, "I am a companion of all them that fear thee;" of them, and of all them.

DOCTRINE II.-That we should associate ourselves, and keep communion with those who are truly gracious.

First, Consider, in what sense we are to be the companions of them that fear the Lord.

Secondly, Why it must be so, or the reasons.

First, In what sense may David, or any other, be said to be a companion of those that fear the Lord, or what it importeth?

1st, We must join with them, or be engaged in the profession of the same faith and obedience unto God. The faith of all Christians is a common faith, and their salvation a common salvation to them all: "Titus, mine own son after the common faith" (Titus i. 4); "I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation" (Jude 3). The communion with the saints which we believe in the creed is, in the first and chiefest place, a communion in faith and charity; and this kind of communion all the members and parties of the catholic church have one with another. They are all quickened by the same Spirit, live by the same faith, wait for the hope of the same glory, and so they are companions in the same religion.

2ndly, As many as cohabit and live in a convenient nearness, must often meet together, to join in the same worship; for God hath instituted the assemblies of the faithful that we may openly and with mutual consent worship God in Christ, in prayer, in thanksgiving, praises, word, sacraments, &c.; and the assembling of ourselves for these ends must not be

forsaken for negligence or fear: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the day approaching" (Heb. x. 25). Now, in this sense, we are companions of those that fear God as we join in worship with them: "I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday" (Psalm xlii. 4). To make one in the public assemblies and societies of the godly, whereby God may be publicly honoured and souls converted, comforted, and saved, is to be a companion of them that fear God and keep his precepts.

3rdly, To love them, and prize them, and converse with them intimately upon all occasions, that by this society ye may excite one another to further proficiency in obedience. This is to be a companion with them that fear God: so the prophet kept company with those good men that he had described, that he himself might be confirmed by them, and that he might aid and confirm them. David said, "My goodness extendeth not to thee; but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight" (Psalm xvi. 2); that is, his love and kindness were towards the godly, esteeming them more excellent and precious, how mean soever in condition, above the ungodly world, how great soever their rank and quality be, and taking pleasure in their society: them he valued, and them he esteemed, above all the greatest men in the world; and in them was all his joy and delight. So, "In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord" (Psalm xv. 4). Mark these two opposite expressions; the excellent of the earth, and a vile person. Thus it is to look on things, not with the eye of sense, but faith and grace. So Paul longed to see the Romans, to be comforted by the mutual faith of him and them (Rom. i. 12). Well then, to be a companion is to love tenderly, to prize and esteem one another for the grace of God which is in them, desiring one another's good, especially spiritual; rejoicing with them that do rejoice, and weeping with them that weep (Rom. xii. 15); praying for one another, giving thanks for one another; preventing the evil, endeavouring the good, of one another, by counsel, help, and mutual assistance. So that, "I am a companion," is that I contract a friendship with them that fear God.

4thly, To be a companion with them is to own them in all conditions, and to take part and lot with them: "I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ" (Rev. i. 9). We must have a fellowship with them, not only in their privileges, but in their sufferings; not only companions in the kingdom, but companions in the tribulation and patience of Jesus Christ. So, "Partly whilst ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were so used" (Heb. x. 33): in the one, was their passion; in the other, their compassion; in that they not only suffered themselves, but owned their brethren when they suffered, and did receive them, and comfort them, and stand by them. So near is the union, and so dear and tender is the affection, of Christian brethren among themselves. So it is said of Moses, "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (Heb. xi. 25). Alas! there are many summerfriends to the Gospel, painted butterflies, who are gone as soon as the sun