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MATTHEW IV It E N, D. 1).

sought from the Latin, Vercri, to fliew, that at first their noble Affectionsknew no Fear but the Fear os' God, filial and reverential Fear alone, such asGod himself (we see) would have his Worssiip performed by, and our Reli-gion ex pressed by.

And if once we come to lose that in our Religion, our Fear, we shall sooncome to lose Religion and all, however we sooth ourselves for that is theWay t 0 hold even the right Religion also, St. Paul fays flatly, Heb. xii. 28.Wherefore having received such a Kingdom (the Gospel, he means, of JesusChrist, other Kingdom we have received none) let us hold the Grace fast .True that is good Counsel: but how shall we do that ? How shall we holdit? It follows, In serving him acceptably to his Mind: and how that? WithReverence ^faith he) and holy Fear.

And wiser than thus, whoever thinks himself, let him go try it with Davidthat thinks him not so. For holy and reverend is God's blame, faith he; andthen such a Fear as this, such as perlorms a holy Reverence to him, and tohis blessed Name, that is, the Fear of the Lord, and the Beginning of Wisdom.f’ialni. cxi. 10. And a good Understanding have all they that do thereafter ; theyonly understand aright what Religion aiid Holiness and the true Fear of theLord is ; that without all Hypocrisy have it truly within in their Hearts, andWithout all prophane Contempt express it also duly in the outward Worshipof him.

Hominibus in gencre.

And thus make we the Expression of our Fear of God to God himself.But yet other Expressions there are of the same to Man. In general, first, theCommerce that passes between us and others; the Justice and Righteousness;the Mercy and Charity; the Truth and Honesty which we shew towards allMen*, these are as broad Seals to prove it to them, and the Letters Patentsthat testify it, and justify us in our Fear of God.

That unrighteous Judge that feared not God, but righted the poor Widowonly to avoid Trouble, yet he in denying to do it for any Fear of God orMan, even by that confest, that the chiefest thing which should have movedhim to it, was the hear of God. Luke xviii. 4. And whence was it that Abra-ham could look for no better than Mart her and Rape among the P hilt fines,that they would kill him and force his Wife, but because he thought surely thePear of God was not in that Place, Gen. xx. 11. But Joseph, on the otherfide, aiming to satisfy his Brethrens Mind, and to make them not doubt ofLir and honest Dealing at his Hand, makes that, the Reason and Assurance of*t, This do and live, faith he, for I fear God , Gen. xlii. 18.

And in this Regard, it is worth the observing, that when God was pleasedso take the Devil’s own Verdict concerning Job’s fearing God, however Job^as excellent at both Expressions, at the Acts of Religion, in his holy anddaily Worshipping of God, and the Acts of Honesty, in his upright DealingMth all Men ; yet God questions the Devil not of the former, his religiousfearing him, but only the other, his righteous fearing of him ; Has thou notc °nfideredmy Servant Job, that there is none like him upon Earth, in the fearingof God ? Job i. 8. But how was that to appear to Satan ? He fays not; forhe prays thus much, he preaches thus often, he sacrifices daily, he profesiesContinually ; but, For he is an upright and jujl Man, and eschews Wrong andP'Vtl, lays God; Signs able to convince the Devil himself, who not daringOpon those Proofs to deny it, only sought to blemish it with a Slander ofmister Respects, Ti met, fed an gratis? ’Tis true, Job fears God, I fee by that,ut does he fear God for naughtf At the 9th Verse.

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