The Fear of God - What It Is and What It Is Not

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1839. ... CHAPTER VI. THE USE OF THIS DOCTRINE. Having proceeded thus far about this doctrine of the fear of God, I now come to make some use and application of the whole; and my first use shall be a use of examination. I. Is this fear of God such an excellent thing? Is it attended with so many blessed privileges, then this should put us, every soul of us, upon a diligent examination of ourselves, namely, whether this grace be in us or not; for if it be, then thou art one of these blessed ones to whom belong these glorious privileges, for thou hast an interest in every one of them. But if it shall appear that this grace is not in thee, then thy state is fearfully miserable, as hath partly been manifest already, and will further be seen in what comes after. Now, the better to help thee to consider, and not to miss in finding out what thou art, in thy self-examination, I will speak to this, 1. In general. 2. In particular. 1. In general. No man brings this grace into the world with him. Every one by nature is destitute of it, for naturally none fear God; "There is no fear of God," none of this grace of fear, "before their eyes," Rom. iii. 18; they do not so much as know what it is; for this fear flows, as was shown before, from a new heart, faith, repentance, and the like; of which new lieart, faith, and repentance, if thou art void, thou art also void of this godly fear. Men must have a mighty change of heart and life, or else they are strangers to this fear of God. Alas, how ignorant are the most of this! Yea, and some are not afraid to say they are not changed, nor desire so to be. Can these fear God? Can these be possessed with this grace of fear? No; because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God, Psa. lv. 19. Wherefore, sinner, consider, whoever thou art, that art destitute of ...