1st, Who is God's servant? I answer, He that dedicates himself to God's use, and he that lives under a sense and conscience of his dedication.

1. He that dedicates himself to God's use. We are God's servants by covenant and voluntary contract. It is true, our service is due to him upon other accounts, but we enter into it by contract. It is due by virtue of creation, for he made us out of nothing, therefore we owe him all that we have, and thus all creatures were made for God's service: "They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants" (Psalm cxix. 91). Heaven, and earth, and sun, and moon, and stars, and beasts, and every creeping thing, and every plant and herb, they all serve God according to the ends for which they were made. But especially men and angels, they were made for God's use immediately. Other things were made ultimately and terminatively for God: man immediately for God (Psalm ciii. 21). The angels are his ministers, and so is man God's servant. And then, by the right of redemption, we are bound to serve him as the captive was to serve the buyer; he that bought another out of slavery, all his time and strength belonged to him: "Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit" (1 Cor. vi. 20). But this shows only de jure, what we ought to be; we ought all to be God's servants, as he created us, and redeemed us by the blood of Christ. But de facto, none are his servants but those who resign and yield up themselves to his use: "Yield yourselves unto God" (Rom. vi. 13). God will have his right and title confirmed by our consent, and therefore, he that is a servant of God, one time or other, hath entered into covenant with God, he hath consented to yield up himself to walk with God in a strict obedience. All that thus yield up themselves to be God's servants, they do it with shame; they are ashamed they did no sooner think of their Creator in their youth, at their first coming to the use of reason, and think of him that bought them by his blood: "For the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles," &c. (1 Peter iv. 3). They have too long dishonoured God, destroyed their own souls, and kept their Creator out of his right. And they do it too with a sense of God's love, in the new title he hath by redemption: "For the love of Christ constraineth us," &c. (2 Cor. v. 14, 15).

2. He is one that liveth under a sense and conscience of his dedication; not as his own, but God's. When you have given up yourselves to God's service, you must not walk as you list, but as your Master pleaseth. Aristotle makes it the property of a servant to be one that cannot live as he would, that hath no will of his own, but hath given up himself to be commanded and directed by another, and sometimes contrary to his own inclinations. They are rebels and not servants that said, "Our lips are our own" (Psalm xii. 4). Your tongues are not your own to speak what you please; nor your hearts your own to think what you please; nor your hands your own to do what you please. You are God's servants, therefore must be wholly at his will. The angels that are God's ministers, when they are described, they "do his pleasure" (Psalm ciii. 21): so your business is to do the will of God; not to please yourself, men, or the flesh, but to please God, to do the will of God without any respect to your own inclinations, and worldly interests; and therefore, your hearts will rise against sin upon this account, when you are tempted to do anything that is contrary to the will of God: "Oh, I am not my own,

these members are Christ's." You look upon everything as God's to be employed to his service.

2ndly, Those that would have the word to be established, why must they be servants of the Lord?

I. God doth not look to the work, but to the qualification of the person. God will not accept a man for one good work, one prayer, but he looks to the qualification of his person. The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord (Prov. xxviii. 9). How is that? not only when it is managed in a careless fashion, when a wicked man prays wickedly; no, let him do his best, for it is said, "The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?" (Prov. xxi. 27.) At best it is an abomination, God will not accept of a sacrifice at his hands, and therefore the qualification of the person is to be regarded when we pray for a blessing promised (James v. 16). There is the qualification of the prayer, it must be "fervent," "effectual," a prayer driven with life and motion, that hath spirit and life. Ay, but it must be of "a righteous" person. As naturalists speak of a jewel, which, if put into a dead man's mouth, loseth all its virtue and efficacy: so, prayer in the mouth of a wicked, carnal man, loseth its efficacy with God. When one that had revolted from the Romans sent gifts to the Roman general, he made him this answer, He should first return to his obedience to the state of Rome so God saith to wicked men, first let them be God's servants, and then they shall have the blessing of his promises.

2. It is agreeable to the covenant, for the covenant is mutual: “I will be your God, and you shall be my people." All promises relate to a covenant. Now, in every covenant there is ratio dati et accepti, something required as well as something given, for it binds mutually; therefore, if we would have God give us grace, we must yield obedience. Precepts and promises go hand in hand; and therefore, they that would have promises performed, they must observe precepts; and mingle resolutions of duty with expectations of mercy. That is the covenant way of dealing with God. There must be a sincere purpose and endeavour to serve God : "I am thy servant, therefore stablish thy word to me."

USE. To press you to become God's servants. I might bring motives both from the time past, present, and to come.

Shall

1. From the time past; you are obliged to be so. You are his creatures, you have life, being, and all things from him. We cannot receive a small kindness from man but it doth produce respect, I am your servant. a kindness from God less affect us, who made us, and gives us life, breath, and all things? We take no notice of what comes from an invisible hand. Here is the wonder, that the great God, who hath no need of us, so often provoked by us, that is of such excellent majesty, so far above us, should take notice of us therefore, if God made us, keeps us, and maintains us from day to day, and that he abaseth himself to behold us, to look after us, this should engage us. And then, from what is present: the honour that is put upon you, it is a great advancement to be God's servant. The meanest offices about princes are accounted honourable. Jesus Christ himself, as mediator, he hath this title put upon him, “ my righteous servant" (Isa. liii. 11); and the angels, they are your fellow-servants, they are called "ministers of God" (Psalm ciii. 20). Likewise, for the present you have free access to God; God's servants may stand in his presence, and they have liberty to ask anything they have need of. The queen of Sheba

said concerning Solomon, "Happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom" (1 Kings x. 8). Much more may it be said concerning God's servants, Blessed are those that stand in his presence, that have such free leave to hold communion with God; to come and have assurance of welcome whenever they come. And, for the time to come: God's service will issue itself into everlasting blessedGod's servants have excellent wages: "If any man serve me, where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour" (John xii. 26). Christ and his Father will study what honour they can put upon him. Therefore, be God's servants that you may please him for the present, and comfortably wait for his everlasting blessing. Thus I have gone over the first thing, namely, the request, "Stablish thy word unto thy servant."

ness.

II. The motive and argument, "who is devoted to thy fear." The word may be rendered either which or who; as relating either to thy word or thy servant.

(1.) Thy word; for in the original Hebrew the posture of the verse is thus, "Stablish to thy servant thy word, which is to the fearing of thee." That is, given that thou mayest be feared. There being in the word of God the greatest arguments and inducements to fear, to reverence, and to obey him. The word of God was appointed to this use to plant the fear of God in our hearts, and to increase our reverence of God; not that we may play the wantons with promises, and feed our lusts with them. I rather take our own translation as more accommodate, and it hath such a sense as that," But I give myself unto prayer" (Psalm cix. 4). In the original it is, "But I prayer." And, (2.) Stablish thy word to thy servant, "Who is to thy fear." Our translators add, to make the sense more full, addicted, "devoted to thy fear," that is, that makes it his business, care, and desire to stand in fear of God.

Now this is added as a true note and description of God's servants, as being a main thing in religion, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm cxi. 10), the first in point of order, and it is the first thing when we begin to be wise, to think of God, to have awful thoughts of God, it is a chief point of wisdom, the great thing that makes us wise to salvation. And it is added as an argument of prayer, "O Lord, let thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name" (Neh. i. 11). The more any is given to the fear of God, the more assurance they have of God's love, and readiness to hear them at the throne of grace. The point is this:

DOCTRINE. That man is indeed God's servant who is devoted to his

fear.

There may be weaknesses and failings, but for the main he is swayed by the fear of God.

1. What it is to fear God.

2. Why this is a sure note of God's servant; because it removes all the lets of obedience.

1st, What it is to fear God. There is a servile and a filial fear; a fear of wrath which the worst may have: "The devils believe and tremble" (James ii. 19). And a fear of offending which the best must have:. Happy is the man that feareth alway" (Prov. xxviii. 14); a reverend disposition of heart towards God as our sovereign lord and master, yea, as our Father in Jesus Christ.

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For the first of these :

1. A fear of wrath. Every fear of wrath is not sinful; it is a duty rather than a sin; all God's children are bound to have a tender sense of God's wrath or displeasure against sin, to make them awful and serious in the spiritual life, as, "Let us serve God with reverence and godly fear" (Heb. xii. 27). Mark, upon that account and consideration, as "he is a consuming fire" that should have an influence upon our godly fear; and, "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell" (Matt. x. 28). The words do not only contain a description of the person who ought to be feared, but the ground and reason why he is to be feared, and therefore it is not simply the fear of wrath that is sinful, but it is the servility and slavishness of it. Now, what is the servility and slavishness of the fear of wrath? partly when our own smart and terror is feared more than the displeasing of God; and they have a mind to sin but are afraid of Hell, and it is fear accompanied with hatred. Servile fear, though it keep us from some sins, as a wolf that may be scared from the prey, yet keeps its devouring nature. It is accompanied with hatred of God; all that fear God they hate him; and indeed they could wish there were no God, none to call them to account; they could wish he were not so just and holy as he is; and so here lies the evil of it, not so much as fear of wrath (for that is a grace rightly conversant about its object), but as it tends to this hatred of God; and partly, too, servility lies in this, as it makes us shy of God, and run away from him, rather than draw near to him, as Adam ran into the bushes to hide himself. Holy fear is an awe of God upon the soul, but that keeps us in a holy communion with him: "I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall not depart from me;" but that fear which makes us fly from God is slavish, and partly as it hath torment and perplexity in it, and so hindereth us in God's service: "Fear hath torment" in it. The fear of wrath, that is a duty, but slavish fear is such a fear of wrath which makes us hate God, and shun his presence, and afraid more of wronging ourselves than wronging of God, and such a fear that hath a torment and perplexity in it, that cannot serve God so cheerfully.

2. There is a filial fear, a fear of reverence. This fear of God was in Christ as mediator (Isa. xi. 1, 2). Among other graces there reckoned up which do belong to Jehovah "the Branch," to Christ Jesus, this is one, "The fear of the Lord." Christ, as man, had a reverend affection to his Father whom he served, and this fear it continueth to all eternity in the blessed spirits that are in Heaven. The saints and angels have this kind of fear, a dread of the holy God, and a reverent and awful respect to his majesty. It is an essential respect which passeth between the creature and the Creator, and can never be abolished. Now, this fear of reverence consisteth in a high esteem of God, of his majesty, glory, power, and in the sense and continual thoughts of his presence. And then a loathness to sin against God, or to offend in his sight, to do anything that is unseemly when God is a looker-on. What! can a man sin freely that lives in the sight of the holy God, when he hath a deep sense of his excellency imprinted in his heart? This is that fear which is the note of God's

servants.

2ndly, This must needs be the note of God's servants because it is the great principle that both hindereth us from sin, and quickeneth us to duty.

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The fear of God is one of the radical and essential graces which belongeth to a Christian. It is a mighty restraint from sin. The beasts were made to serve men, and how are they held in subjection and obedience to man? "The dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth" (Gen. ix. 2). So we are made for the service of God. Now, how are we kept in subjection to God? When the fear of God is upon our heart, that will not suffer us freely to do anything that is displeasing to God. God is come to prove you, that his fear may be before your faces that you sin not" (Exod. xx. 20). It is a great remedy against all temptation of gain, and worldly profit, and temporal convenience. Look, as that man that had a fear of the king upon his heart: "Why didst thou not smite him to the ground?" saith Joab; and the man answered, "Though I should receive a thousand shekels, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son." (2 Sam. xviii. 11, 12). Just such a fear hath a child of God of his heavenly King; no, though I should have never so much offered me to tempt me from my duty; no, I dare not, the Lord hath charged me to the contrary. Or, as when the Rechabites were tempted to drink wine, pots were brought before them to inflame their appetite; no, we dare not. These passages express the workings of heart in one that fears God, though temptation be present, and never so much convenience thereby, yet how can they do this wickedness and sin against God.

USE. It informeth us who are God's servants. Those that have most of this fear of God planted in their hearts: "He was a faithful man, and feared God above many" (Neh. vii. 2). And then that they express it in their conversation; God will not take it planted in our hearts, if we do not obey him in those things that are contrary to our interests and natural affections. When God tried Abraham that was to offer his Isaac: "Now I know that thou fearest God, since thou hast not withheld thine only son," &c. (Gen. xxii. 12). Why, was Abraham unknown to God before that time? As Peter told Christ, "Lord, thou knowest all things;" cannot God see the inward springs and motions of our souls, and what affections are there? Could not God tell what was in Abraham? But now I acknowledge. For God will not acknowledge it in this sense until we express it. They are the true servants of God that have his fear planted in their hearts, and express it upon all occasions.

SERMON XLIV.

VERSE 39.-Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.

In these words you have,

I. A request," Take away my reproach."

II. A reason to enforce it, "For thy judgments are good."

First, for the request. "Turn away," roll from upon me, so it signifies. He was clothed with reproach, now roll from me "my reproach," some think he means God's condemnatory sentence, which would turn to his reproach, or some remarkable rebuke from God, because of his sin. Rather, I think, the calumnies of his enemies; and he calls it "my reproach," either as deserved by himself, or personally lighted upon him, the reproach which was like to be his lot and portion in the world, through