Let us consider these separately, and commence with the fear of respect.

This is always felt by the true believer. Can he avoid feeling it, when he views on the one hand the splendour of the perfections of God, and on the other, his own littleness and baseness? When we form the contrast between the strength and uncontrolled authority of God and our weakness; between his greatness and supremacy and our nothingness; between his holiness and our pollution; his light and our darkness; must we not be filled with reverence and awe? This is the proper homage of the creature before the Creator. These are sentiments which are felt, and through eternity will be felt, by the angels and the redeemed, who behold these perfections more illustriously displayed than they are to us. What then ought to be the conduct of men who are so far inferior to these exalted intelligences in elevation, in holiness, in wisdom and power? Ought they not in like manner to abase themselves before the Lord?

"There is no single perfection in the divine nature which is not a proper foundation, and may not suggest motives for this fear. Most holy, he abhors iniquity: Omnipresent, nothing can be hid from him: All-wise, he cannot be deceived: the Governor of the world, he observes and recompenses the actions of his creatures: Almighty, he can inflict on them what punishments he pleases: Eternal, they cannot, even by death, escape from him.”* Most good, he deserves our attachment. When the believer views all these perfections beautifully harmonizing, and

* Jortin, i. 308.

has a sense of the glorious majesty of Jehovah, will not his soul be humbled, and shrink into nothing before these infinite and uncreated splendours? Will he not be filled with the fear of respect?

But it is unnecessary to dwell on the justness of this duty every rational being must immediately acknowledge it. But, alas! my brethren, how many are there who neglect it! Indeed, every sin is opposed to this fear, since every sin tramples on the authority and outrages the greatness of God. But though all iniquities violate the reverential fear of the Lord, there are some which do it in a more direct and explicit manner than others. Such are blasphemy, which denies his perfections; murmurings at his Providence, as though we were better or wiser than he, and could instruct him how with greater propriety to govern the universe; perjury, which solemnly calls upon him to witness a falsehood, and invokes him to punish it; profane swearing, which tosses about with profane levity his names and his attributes, which heaven adores, at which hell trembles, and which never should be thought or spoken of by mortals but with reverence and awe; and sacrilege, which alienates to common uses what has solemnly been devoted to the Lord. All such persons may without hesitancy know that the fear of God is not in them.

With respect to the fear of apprehension, which has as its foundation the evils which God can inflict on us, it is of two different kinds: we may fear to offend and displease God, and we may fear to be punished for it.

When the former is the motive of this fear, it is called filial fear, because it is the sentiment of an affectionate child towards its parent. Such a child

does what his father desires, not for fear of being disinherited if he disobeys, but because it would pain him to displease one whom he loves. In like manner the believer complies with the will of God, not merely because he fears hell, but because he fears to offend this merciful Father, to whom he is so much indebted. This fear then has as its source, love and gratitude. The mercy, the compassion, the grace of God, are the sources whence it is derived. This is the sentiment which David describes when he cries, "There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared;" to this Hosea alluded when he predicted, that on peculiar displays of divine mercy, which were afterwards to be manifested, the pious should "fear the Lord and his goodness." This is indeed the most generous source of holiness and virtue. To abstain from sin that we may obtain the approbation of men, is the attainment of many of the unregenerate; to do so only from the fear of punishment, is the conduct of a slave who obeys his master only under the lifted rod; to do so because sin is degrading to our natures, was the motive even of some pagan philosophers; but, not to sin because we love God, and wish not to displease him, is ingenuous, generous, and affectionate. It was this fear, resulting from a display of the divine goodness, which Jacob felt on the consecrated field of Luz. When he had beheld that splendid vision, in which heaven was opened to him; when he had seen the Lord and his angels; when God had promised him protection, the choicest temporal mercies, and the richest spiritual blessings, to himself and his posterity, Jacob's soul vibrated between amazement and delight; for the historian immediately adds, "And Jacob was afraid, and said, How dreadful is 47

VOL. III.

this place! This is none other but the house of God, and the gate of heaven." It was this that Moses felt, when that illustrious and cheering display of the divine goodness was made unto him; (Ex. xxxiv.) for after the Lord had passed by, and proclaimed his name in accents ever calculated to give confidence and trust in him, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin," we are immediately informed that " Moses made haste, and bowed his head to the ground, and worshipped." It is this fear, resulting from the divine goodness, which you, believers, have often felt, when, after special manifestations of the divine favour, after a full assurance of the love of God has been shed abroad in your heart, after you have had the Spirit witnessing with you; you have shuddered at sin; you have, more than ever, dreaded to displease God; you have trembled at the ingratitude of violating the laws, or opposing the will of your benefactor.

With respect to the other kind of fear of apprehension, of which we have spoken, that which is founded only on the dread of future punishments, it is (considered absolutely and in itself) neither morally good nor evil. Not morally good, since we see it every day felt by the most wicked, and since the devils themselves tremble under it. Not morally evil, since it is a sentiment that reason would require; since God has used the threatenings of this punishment to deter men from sin; and since our Redeemer has expressly sanctioned it by his command: "Fear not them that can kill the body, and after that have nothing else that they can do: but I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him who, after he

hath killed, hath power to cast both body and soul into hell: Yea, I say unto you, Fear him." It becomes morally good, only when united with filial fear. It is morally evil, when accompanied with love of sin, with distrust, and despair. It then acquires the name of servile fear.

My brethren, if you have faithfully attended to the reflections that have been made in this discourse, you may decide whether you have complied with the injunction in the text, and whether, in a holy manner, you fear God.

To you who have this disposition, the scripture speaks in the most engaging language: it presents you with promises calculated to support you in every situation, and fill your hearts with joy. No temporal blessing that is really useful, that will promote your best happiness, shall be wanted by you. "O fear the Lord, ye his saints, for there is no want to them that fear him." (Ps. xxxiv. 9, 10.) Are you in a lowly situation in life, and destitute of the outward enjoyments of many of the enemies of God? Be not disquieted, for "better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great riches, and trouble therewith." (Prov. xv. 16.) Are you encompassed by dangers? Providence has engaged to defend you, and his angels perpetually minister unto you. "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about those that fear him, and delivereth them." (Ps. xxxiv. 7.) You are accepted by the Lord; your persons and your services through the Redeemer: "Of a truth," said Peter, "I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him." (Acts x. 34, 35.) The Lord regards you with tenderness and compassion, and sympathizes with you in all