For Answer, What Fear, but the ⟨p. 22⟩Fear of God? even that Fear, which is in the Oracles of Wisdom, so ofte• Celebrated as, The Beginning of Wisdom? We read in Psal. 111. 10. The Fear of the Lord, is the Beginning of Wisdom, and a good Understanding have all they that do His Commandments. Among the Things Commanded by our God, there is none more Notable than that of Prayer•• now 'tis the Fear of God, which help men unto the Understanding, to […] such a Thing. When it is here said, Thou hast cast off Fear, it is by some Translated so, Thou hast cast off Religion. The Fear of God, is a• principle of Religion in the Heart of man; a principle of Respect unto the Commands and Praises of the Great God. It is an Old Testament Name, for the whole of Religion; but this Fear of God, includes a Love to God, a Faith on God, a Joy in God, as well as a Fear of Him. This is the Fear, that must not be Rejected. More particularly, This Fear imports, A dread of those Mischiefs that ⟨p. 23⟩follow upon a Distance from God. This is a thing of such universal Mixture and Figure in Religion, that all Religion receives a Denomination from it; what said the Psalmist, in Psal. 78. 27, 28. Lo, They that are far from thee, shall perish; but it is good for me to draw near unto God. We should have such a Fear of Perdition, in being far from God, as to Resolve that we will Draw Near, and Get Near, and Keep Near, unto Him all our Days. This is the true Fear of God! Briefly, we should have a Filial Fear of those Rods wherewith our God chastises them that break His Laws. When the Laws of God were given unto His Israel, then Moses Hearing the Thunders and the Trumpets, and seeing the Lightnings, and feeling the Earth-quakes, which gave a shadow of the Fiery Day, whereas God will Avenge the Violations of those Laws, he cried out, I exceedingly Fear and Quake. We should accordingly Entertain the Laws of God, ⟨p. 24⟩with an Exceeding Fear of such Fiery Plagues, as we may foresee likely to fall upon those who Transgress the Laws, that are so Holy, and Just and Good. Here is the Fear that should Inflame our Prayer to our God! But then,
For Answer, What Fear, but the ⟨p. 22⟩Fear of God? even that Fear, which is in the Oracles of Wisdom, so ofte• Celebrated as, The Beginning of Wisdom? We read in Psal. 111. 10. The Fear of the Lord, is the Beginning of Wisdom, and a good Understanding have all they that do His Commandments. Among the Things Commanded by our God, there is none more Notable than that of Prayer•• now 'tis the Fear of God, which help men unto the Understanding, to 〈…〉 such a Thing. When it is here said, Thou hast cast off Fear, it is by some Translated so, Thou hast cast off Religion. The Fear of God, is a• principle of Religion in the Heart of man; a principle of Respect unto the Commands and Praises of the Great God. It is an Old Testament Name, for the whole of Religion; but this Fear of God, includes a Love to God, a Faith on God, a Joy in God, as well as a Fear of Him. This is the Fear, that must not be Rejected. More particularly, This Fear imports, A dread of those Mischiefs that ⟨p. 23⟩follow upon a Distance from God. This is a thing of such universal Mixture and Figure in Religion, that all Religion receives a Denomination from it; what said the Psalmist, in Psal. 78. 27, 28. Lo, They that are far from thee, shall perish; but it is good for me to draw near unto God. We should have such a Fear of Perdition, in being far from God, as to Resolve that we will Draw Near, and Get Near, and Keep Near, unto Him all our Dayes. This is the true Fear of God! Briefly, we should have a Filial Fear of those Rods wherewith our God chastises them that break His Laws. When the Laws of God were given unto His Israel, then Moses Hearing the Thunders and the Trumpets, and seeing the Lightnings, and feeling the Earth-quakes, which gave a shadow of the Fiery Day, whereas God will Avenge the Violations of those Laws, he cry'd out, I exceedingly Fear and Quake. We should accordingly Entertain the Laws of God, ⟨p. 24⟩with an Exceeding Fear of such Fiery Plagues, as we may foresee likely to fall upon those who Transgress the Laws, that are so Holy, and Just and Good. Here is the Fear that should Inflame our Prayer to our God! But then,
