God is to be praised, not only with joy and thankfulness, but with fear and reverence; for with him is terrible praise. It is the express word of Moses, in his song after the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea (Exod. 15.11.) Who is a God like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises? We should not be afraid to praise God, no, we should be most forward to praise him, but we should have a holy fear upon our hearts, when we praise him. Praise is the work of heaven, from whence fear shall for ever be banished; there will be perfect love, and perfect love Casts out fear, (1 Joh. 4.18.) What-ever fear hath torment in it (as all fear out of Christ hath) we shall have nothing to do with in that blessed life: And even in this life, praise, which is the work of heaven on earth, should be performed with such a spirit of love, & joy as is without all base, tormenting fear; we should have so much love to God in, and for all the good things he doth, for our souls especially, yea and for our bodies too, in dealing out daily mercies, that it should cast out all that fear which hath torment in it. Yet there is a fear which should possess our spirits while we are praising God, a fear of reverence I mean, which fear (I doubt not) will remain in heaven for ever; Glorified Saints shall praise God with that fear, that is, having an everlasting awe of the Majesty of God upon their hearts. He is fearful in praises; and therefore let us so praise him, as remembering our distance, so praise him, as to be afraid of miscarrying in the duty, and so instead of praising, displease him, in stead of honouring, grieve him. This duty of praise is very dreadful. The Psalmist saith, there is mercy, or forgiveness, with thee, O Lord, that thou mayst be feared (Psal. 130.4.) Not only is the Lord to be feared in his wrath, and in the executions ⟨p. 612⟩of his justice, but he is to be feared in his mercy, & in that greatest expression of his favour towards us, the forgiveness of our sins. When we are in the highest exaltations of the mercy of God, and of the God of our mercies, yet then should our hearts be affected with his fear. It is both our duty and our commendation so to fear God, as not to sin against him, or to be kept from sinning against God by the fear of God, that is, lest God should punish us for our sins, and give us to eat the bitter fruit of our own evil doings:
God is to be praised, not only with joy and thankfullness, but with fear and reverence; for with him is terrible praise. It is the express word of Moses, in his song after the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea (Exod. 15.11.) Who is a God like unto thee, glorious in holines, fearful in praises? We should not be affraid to praise God, no, we should be most forward to praise him, but we should have a holy fear upon our hearts, when we praise him. Praise is the work of heaven, from whence fear shall for ever be banished; there will be perfect love, and perfect love Casts out fear, (1 Joh. 4.18.) What-ever fear hath torment in it (as all fear out of Ch•ist hath) we shall have nothing to do with in that blessed life: And even in this life, praise, which is the work of heaven on earth, should be performed with such a spirit of love, & joy as is without all base, tormenting fear; we should have so much love to God in, and for all the good things he doth, for our soules especially, ye and for our bodyes too, in dealing out daily mercies, that it should cast out all that fear which hath torment in it. Yet there is a fear which should p•ssess our spirits while we are praising God, a fear of reverence I mean, which fear (I doubt not) will remaine in heaven for ever; Glorified Saints shall praise God with that fear, that is, having an everlasting awe of the Majesty of God upon their hearts. He is fearful in praises; and therefore let us so praise him, as remembering our distance, so praise him, as to be affraid of miscarrying in the duty, and so instead of praising, displease him, in stead of honouring, grieve him. This duty of praise is very dreadful. The Psalmist saith, there is mercy, or forgiveness, with thee, O Lord, that thou mayst be feared (Psal. 130.4.) Not only is the Lord to be feared in his wrath, and in the executions ⟨p. 612⟩of his justice, but he is to be feared in his mercy, & in that greatest expression of his favour towards us, the forgivness of our sins. When we are in the highest exaltations of the mercy of God, and of the God of our mercies, yet then should our hearts be affected with his fear. It is both our duty and our commendation so to fear God, as not to sin against him, or to be kept from sinning against God by the fear of God, that is, lest God should punish us for our sins, and give us to eat the bitter fruit of our own evil doings:
