The fourth (and last) volume of discourses, or sermons, on several scriptures

Secondly, Whereas it is said that our God is a consuming Fire; observe, That our peculiar Interest in God is no Encouragement to cast off our most awful fear of God. Our God is a consuming Fire; though he hath laid down his Enmity against us, yet he hath not laid down his Sovereignty and Majesty over us. Indeed these two Expressions, Our God, and a consuming Fire, at first blush and glance seem to look strangely and wistly one upon another; but the Holy Ghost hath excellently tempered them: He is our God, this corrects that despairing Fear that otherwise would seize upon us, from the consideration of God as a consuming Fire: And he is a consuming Fire also, that corrects that presumptuous Irreverence, that else the consideration of our Interest in God might possibly embolden us unto.

You see now, from the Explication of these Words, what an excellent copious Portion of Scripture I have unfolded unto you, wherein indeed is contained the true Art and Method of serving of God acceptably. It is the Fear of God that quickens us to serve him, and this Fear of God is pressed upon us and wrought in us by two strong Principles, we have a Kingdom; and what is strange too for those that have a Kingdom of God, our God is a consuming Fire, and therefore let us fear him. Now this is such a Principle that carnal Men are not apt to apprehend; they say, if we have a Kingdom that cannot be moved, why then should we fear? And if God be such a consuming Fire, why should we ever expect that Kingdom, since we are but as Stubble? But our Apostle hath well conjoined them together, and from that conjunction I shall raise and prosecute this one Proposition.

You see now, from the Explication of these Words, what an excellent copious Portion of Scripture I have unfolded unto you, wherein indeed is contained the true Art and Method of serving of God acceptably. It is the Fear of God that quickens us to serve him, and this Fear of God is pressed upon us and wrought in us by two strong Principles, we have a Kingdom; and what is strange too for those that have a Kingdom of God, our God is a consuming Fire, and therefore let us fear him. Now this is such a Principle that carnal Men are not apt to apprehend; they say, if we have a Kingdom that cannot be moved, why then should we fear? And if God be such a consuming Fire, why should we ever expect that Kingdom, since we are but as Stubble? But our Apostle hath well conjoyned them together, and from that conjunction I shall raise and prosecute this one Proposition.