halt between the enemies and the friends of the great doctrines of revelation; and meanwhile you neglect committing your soul into his hands, who alone can secure that precious deposit at the last day. You halt between the opinion of the self-righteous, and of the advocates of the doctrine of grace; and you go about to establish your own righteousness, and do not submit to God's method of justifying the ungodly, through faith in Christ, nor flee to him who is the end of the law for righteousness. Hence you have no stable peace, nor can you rejoice in an unseen Saviour, with joy unspeakable, &c. Or you halt between the opinion of the abusers of evangelical truth, and of practical Christians; and thus are in danger of deceiving yourself with a dead faith, separable from all other graces, which neither pacifies the conscience, purifies the heart, overcomes the world, unites with Christ, nor works by love. You halt between the

opinion of formalists and of real believers; and thus you have but a name to live, while you are dead. You have frequent misgivings, lest all should be wrong; and yet you often seem satisfied with a form of godliness, without the power; and sometimes suppose it impossible for any one to obtain assurance in this life, and that it is presumption to hope in the glory of God. You question the truth of many scripture principles; and your own practice frequently contradicts those which you acknowledge. Thus, as the apostle James observes, of the double-minded man, you are "unstable in all your ways:" often yielding to temptations against the feeble remonstrances of conscience, often neglecting duty, and then trying to excuse the neglect by questioning whether it be duty.

In the meanwhile, time is flying apace; eternity draws near; your ideas of religion, instead of getting clearer, become more confused, your convictions feebler, and your heart harder you have no spiritual peace, no heavenly enjoyment. You will soon lie on a death-bed, if indeed you should have one; and soon will your state be fixed, fixed unalterably, and for ever.

If you do not soon decide for God, God will number you with his enemies. If you do not choose to be saved in God's

way, you will never be saved at all. If you choose sin, you must take the consequences. If you refuse Christ and holiness, you virtually refuse heaven. If you hate him, you act as if you loved death.

How happy are they who are truly on the Lord's side!

XIII.

THE FEAR OF GOD A PRESERVATIVE FROM SIN.

NEH. V. 15.

But so did not I, because of the fear of God.

MEN are often very ready to deceive themselves with a mere negative religion; not reflecting that the law of God requires, and the gospel cordially received effectually inclines, not only to depart from evil, but to do good; to follow after positive holiness, or active conformity to the divine image, without which no man shall see the Lord. But, if closely examined, even upon the head of negatives, how deficient would the religion of most people appear! There is no certain preservative from evil, but the fear of God powerfully ruling in the heart; but that principle, in proportion as it prevails, will have the effect. It will fortify the soul against temptation, and induce us to say, with Joseph, "How shall I do this great evil, and sin against God?" or, with Nehemiah in the text, "So did not I, because of the fear of God."

FIRST Let me briefly define what is intended by the fear of God.

It is frequently put in the Old Testament for the whole of religion. In the New Testament, faith is more commonly used. Not that the former is now superceded, much less abolished. See Acts ix. 31. "The fear of the Lord, and comfort of the Holy Spirit." But under the former dispensation, God made a fuller display of the perfections that belong to him as a Governor: now, without eclipsing them, he has revealed more of the attributes of a Father.

The fear of God is not a mere outward form, or show; nor yet a mere tormenting dread of punishment; but an internal, reverential regard for God, arising from a just acquaintance with his moral character, a sincere approbation of the whole of it, a conviction of his relation to us, and a cordial submission to his authority; which will be only increased by a sense of his goodness, and especially by beholding his concern to discountenance sin in the very mode of granting pardon to sinners.

It is an evil and bitter thing, an original defect in the disposition of man, or a strong evidence of human depravity, that they are not naturally disposed to the fear of God, or to entertain a just reverence of him, and pay a supreme regard to him. Happy they in whose hearts God has implanted his fear! He is happiest who fears him greatly. SECONDLY: Let me show the superior tendency of the fear of God to preserve from sin, beyond any other principle whatever.

It will assuredly tend to keep us from sin, both against God and man. For if God be truly regarded, we shall have respect to the whole of his will, and respect him as regarding not only his own rights, but those of the universe. However men may attempt to separate a regard to God and to their fellow-creatures, they are inseparable. He who regards God aright, regards him as the author, centre, and head of the universe, or of the whole created system. And he that seeks the true interests of men, seeks their being brought into the closest union with God.

The fear of God is the best, and in a manner the only preservative from moral evil. If we abstain from an evil act from some inferior motive, there is no virtue in that abstinence. We do not abstain from sin as sin, unless we abstain from it on account of its contrariety to God. Very inferior motives may often indulgence of some particular evil. another. But the fear of God will be a much more extensive and universal preservative from sin; and it is a strong evidence of our being actuated by it, when our concern is sincere and prevalent to be kept from sin in general. Inferior

deter a person from the One sin may clash with

motives may keep us from sin occasionally. Thus Esau was prevented from attempting to kill Jacob, by his natural affection for his father. But the fear of God will be more constant and abiding in its operation. It is a blessed evidence that we are kept from sin by the fear of God, when we continually watch against it. Other motives may induce us to shun sins which are generally thought scandalous and odious. But if the fear of God rules in our hearts, we shall be careful to avoid those which are generally excused, or even applauded. Mere worldly motives may often prevent our being singularly wicked; but will not restrain us from following plausible precedents. Whereas, the fear of God will operate in this case, to keep us from that which has long been sanctioned by custom, and general connivance. Men may be restrained by inferior considerations from open and visible sin. Though not condemned by every body, it would be by some of our acquaintance, &c. But the fear of God will be a blessed preservative from the most secret sin, even if we have no fear of detection. Many unrenewed men may dread the commission of downright gross wickedness. But the genuine fear of God will excite us to abstain from the very appearance of evil; yea, to know the utmost extent of duty, to know how far the fear of God would lead us.

THIRDLY: Let me endeavour to make as close an application as I can of the subject.

O my hearers! How do you feel at the proposal? Do you plead inwardly, as David for Absalom, "Deal tenderly with the young man Absalom"? or do you wish-O God, help the preacher to be faithful; that if we have indulged any sin whatever, it may be detected and cast out; and that henceforth we may be able to say concerning it, "So did not I, because of the fear of God."

Examine, as to disposition and conduct towards God and man. The generality of mankind are satisfied if they do not profane God's name, and wholly neglect his worship and ordinances. Happy are you, if you can say, So do not I; I am concerned to love God supremely, and to abide under the influence of his love and fear continually. They are

content if they are not injurious to mankind. Happy are you,

if

or the friend that is place in my heart. thing God, are you but God?

.

if you can say, So am not I. I am concerned to feel and show the influence of universal, disinterested benevolence. They are content if they are free from gross idolatry. But though they give not the name of God to another object, they give God's place in their hearts to many others. Happy are you, you can say, So do not I, because of the fear of God." At least I cultivate a godly jealousy, lest my nearest relative, as my own soul, should get into God's While others are content not to call any concerned not to treat any thing as God, How many are content with any form in which they were brought up. But happy are you if the fear of God leads you to search his word carefully, that you may worship him only in the way therein appointed. Others profane his name, or think it is a great thing if they use it not in cursing, or false swearing. Are you concerned not to use it in trivial blessing, or to use it in vain in prayer? Others profane the Lord's day, or think a bare attendance on ordinances a great matter. Does the fear of God excite you to hallow it, and be dissatisfied without communion with him? Others violate his commands, respecting their fellow-men, or content themselves with a superficial obedience. Are you concerned to be conformed to the law as spiritual, and in its most extensive latitude? Not only not to kill, but not to be angry without cause, nor yield to a malevolent wish? Parents, children, masters, servants, watch against the most customary omissions. Dread even an impure thought, or polluted jest ; a dishonest inclination, or most secret cheat; a false inuendo, though none could prove it a lie; a covetous desire toward any thing that is your neighbour's; an envious, revengeful thought, or any reluctance to do them good, or any pleasure in their misfortunes.

Happy are they, who in these and other similar cases, can adopt the language of the text, and say, "So did not I, because of the fear of God." If others indulge inconsistencies, are careful only to avoid gross evils, are partial in God's law, are concerned to make clean the outside of the