Religion our true interest, or, Practical notes upon the third chapter of Malachi the…Religion our true interest, or, Practical notes upon the third chapter of Malachy the…

2. Positively; the Fear meant in the Text is a Divine Fear, which is the reverencing and adoring Gods Holiness, and setting our selves always under his Sacred inspection. The infinite distance between God and us causeth this Fear. When Gods Glory began to shine out upon the Mount, Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake, Heb. 12.21. Such as approach Gods presence with light feathery Hearts, and Worship him [Greek or Hebrew] in a rude careless manner, have none of this fear. In the words are two parts.

2. Positively; the Fear meant in the Text is a Divine Fear, which is the reverencing and adoring Gods Holiness, and setting our selves always under his Sacred inspection. The infinite distance between God and us causeth this Fear. When Gods Glory began to shine out upon the Mount, Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake, Heb. 12.21. Such as approach Gods presence with light feathery Hearts, and Worship him 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 in a rude careless manner, have none of this fear. In the words are two parts.

1. The Act, Fear. 2. The Object, the Lord.

They that feared the Lord: The fear of God is the Sum of all Religion, Eccles. 12.13. Fear is the leading Grace, the first seed God sows in the Heart. When a Christian can say little of Faith, and perhaps nothing of Assurance, yet he dares not deny but he fears God. ^*