SECT. VIII. To fear God alone, and none else; the Arguments for it. I. Not to fear any else; or FEAR not, Abram: I am thy shield, thy exceeding great reward.-Gen. xv. 1. God appeared unto Isaac the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father, fear not, for I am with thee, &c.-Gen. xxvi. 24. Moses said to Israel, Fear not; for God is come to prove you, that his fear may be before your faces, &c. Exod. xx. 20. If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I, how can I dispossess them? Thou shalt not be afraid of them; but shalt well remember, what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh, &c. Thou shalt not be affrighted at them for the Lord thy God is among you; a mighty God and terrible, &c. - Deut. vii. 17, 18. 21. xx. 1. Be strong, and of a good courage; fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee, he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. - Deut. xxxi. 6. 8. Josh.i.5-9. Nehemiah feared not, when the enemy designed to make him afraid, and sin, &c.-Neh. vi. 10, &c. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about.-Ps. iii. 6, 7. 2 Chron. xx. 15-17. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. Ps. iv. 8. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, &c. Ps. xxiii. 4. God is our refuge, &c. therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried, &c. - Ps. xlvi. 1, &c. In God I have put my trust: I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.Ps. lvi. 4. 11. The righteous, &c. shall not be afraid of evil tidings, &c.-Ps. cxii. 6-8. The Lord is on my side, I will not fear what man can do unto me.Ps. cxviii. 6, 7. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh: for the Lord shall be thy confidence, &c.-Prov.iii. 25,26. The righteous are as bold as a lion. - Prov. xxviii. 1. The fear of man bringeth a snare. - Prov. xxix. 25. Take heed and be quiet; fear not, neither be faint-hearted; for the two tails, &c.-Isa. vii. 4, &c. Say ye not a confederacy, &c. neither fear ye their fear, norbe afraid, &c. Isa. viii. 12, vii. 3-6. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold your God will come.-Isa. xxxv. 4. Fear thou not, for I am with thee, be not dismayed, for I am thy God: &c. fear not, I will help thee, &c. Fear not, thou worm, Jacob, and ye men of Israel, I will help thee, saith the Lord. - Isa. xli. 10. 13, 14. Thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, &c. Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, &c. when thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee. Isa. xliii. 1, 2, 5. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee? &c. Is there a God besides me? &c. Isa. xliv. 2. 8. Hearken unto me ye that know righteousness, &c. Fear ye not the The Lord is my light, and my sal- reproach of men, neither be ye afraid vation, whom shall I fear? The of their revilings; for the moth shall Lord is the strength of my life, of eat them, &c. I am he who comwhom shall I be afraid? &c. Though forteth you. Who art thou, that thou an host should encamp against me, shouldest be afraid of a man that my heart shall not fear, &c. - Ps. xxvii. 1. 3. shall die; and of the son of man who shall be made as grass; and Isa. li. 7, 8. 12, 13. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee, to deliver thee, &c.Jer. i. 7,8.17-19. forgettest the Lord thy Maker?- their terror, neither be troubled, but sanctify the Lord, &c. -1 Pet. iii. 14, 15. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of is not made perfect in love.-1 John heaven; for the heathens are dismayed iv. 18. at them, for the customs of the people are vain. Jer. x. 2, 3. II. Fear God. Be not afraid of the king of Baby- God said unto Abraham, Now I know lon, &c. for I am with you, to save that thou fearest God, &c.-Gen. you, &c. Jer. xlii. 11. xxii. 12. Be not afraid of them, neither be Now I know that thou fearest God, afraid of their words, &c. nor be dis- seeing thou hast not withheld thy mayed at their looks, &c. -Ezek. ii. son.-Gen. xxii. 12. 6. iii. 9. But the midwives feared God, and When Christ had told his disciples did not as the king of Egypt comwhat persecutors would do to them, manded them, but saved the menhe saith, Fear them not, &c. And, children alive, &c. Therefore God fear not them which kill the body, dealt well with the midwives, &c. but are not able to kill the soul. Matt. x. 26. 28. 31. Luke xii. 4. Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? - Mark iv. 40. We being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear. - Luke i. 74. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.-Luke xii. 32. The blind man's parents durst not own Christ for fear of the Jews, who had agreed to put such out of the synagogue as did confess him.-John ix. 19-22. xii. 42. xix. 38. Let not your heart be troubled, &c. neither let it be afraid.-John xiv. 1.27. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again, to fear; but, &c.Rom. viii. 15. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power.-2 Tim. i. 7. Moses's parents feared not the king's edict, nor the king's wrath. Heb. xi. 23. 27. We may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.-Heb. xiii. 6. If ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of Exod. i. 17. 20, 21. I will at this time send all my plagues, &c. that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth, &c. He that feared the word of the Lord, among the servants of Pharaoh, made his servants, &c. flee into the houses. - Exod. ix. 14. 16. 20. x. 1, 2. Israel saw that great work of drowning the Egyptians, which the Lord did; and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord. - Exod. xiv. 31. The sea covered them, &c. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, amongst the gods (or mighty ones)? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?-Exod. xv. 10, 11. When God appeared upon the mount, with a sound of a trumpet, &c. all the people that were in the camp trembled. - Exod. xix. 16. 18. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who taketh his name in vain, &c. God appeared on Mount Sinai terribly, that the people might fear him.Exod. xx. 7. 18-20. Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me, and live. - he bringeth down unto the grave, and Exod. xxxiii. 20, 21.23. Thou shalt not curse the deaf, &c. but shalt fear thy God. I am the Lord, &c.-Levit. xix. 14. 32. Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the Lord your God, &c.Levit. xxv. 17. 36. 43. Did ever people hear the voice of God, &c. as thou hast heard, and live? &c. Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know, that the Lord he is God, there is none else besides him. Deut. iv. 33. 35. O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep, &c.-Deut. v. 29. bringeth up: the Lord maketh poor, &c.-1 Sam. ii. 2. 6-8. Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God?-1 Sam. vi. 20. Then the earth trembled: the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wrath; there went up a smoke out of his nostrils, &c.-2 Sam. xxii. 8-12. My servant Job, &c. one that feareth God, and escheweth evil.Job. i. 1. 8. How should man be just with God, &c. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? which removeth the mountains, and Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, they know not: which overturneth and serve him, &c.-Deut. vi. 13. them in his anger: which shaketh x. 20. 1 Sam. xii. 24. the earth out of her place, and the Understand therefore this day, that pillars thereof tremble: which comthe Lord thy God is he which goeth mandeth the sun, and it riseth not: over before thee, as a consuming fire, and sealeth up the stars: which alone he shall destroy, &c. I was afraid of spreadeth out the heavens, &c.the anger and hot displeasure where- Job ix. 2-14. with the Lord was wrath against you, &c. Deut. ix. 3. 19. And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God? &c. Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's, &c. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords; a great God, a mighty and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward. - Deut. x. 12. 14. 17. Read this law before all Israel, &c. that they may learn, and fear the Lord, &c. Deut. xxxi. 11-13. I, even I am he, and there is no God with me: I kill, &c. neither is there any that can deliver out of my hands, &c. If I whet my glittering sword, &c.-Deut. xxxii. 39. 41. That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that ye might fear the Lord your God forever. - Josh.iv. 24. Deut. iii. 24. There is none holy as the Lord, &c. The Lord killeth and maketh alive: Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty?-Job xi. 7-10. The Lord hath wrought this: in whose hand is the soul (or life) of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.-Job xii. 9, 10. Will you speak wickedly for God? &c. Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?-Job xiii. 7, 8. 11. Therefore am I troubled at his presence, when I consider I am afraid of him.-Job xxiii. 15. Ps.cxix. 120. And unto man, he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom.Job xxviii. 28. Godsaid to Job, None is so fierce, that dare stir him up (speaking of a creature): who then is able to stand before me?-Job xli. 10. Stand in awe, and sin not. - Ps. iv. 4. Neh. v. 9. 15. Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory. -Ps. xxiv. 10. What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him he shall teach in the way in reverence of all about him.-Ps. that he shall choose, &c. The secret lxxxix. 7. of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant. Ps. xxv. 12-14. Before the mountains were, &c. even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God: thou turnest man to destruction, and savest, Return ye power of thine anger? even according to thy fear so is thy wrath. Ps. xc. 2, 3. 11. O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that children of men. Who knoweth the fear thee!-Ps. xxxi. 19. He gathereth the waters of the sea together, &c. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of The Lord reigneth, he is clothed the world stand in awe of him: for with majesty; the Lord is clothed he spake and it was done, &c. Behold, with strength, &c. Thy throne is the eye of the Lord is upon them that established of old, thou art from fear him, &c.-Ps. xxxiii. 7-9.18. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them, &c. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him, &c. Hearken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord.-Ps. xxxiv. 7.9.11. The transgression of the wicked saith, within my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes. - Ps. xxxvi. 1. He uttered his voice, the earth melted.-Ps. xlvi. 6. The Lord most high is terrible, he is a great king over all the earth.Ps. xlvii. 2. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.- Ps. lv. 19. To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens of old; lo, he doth send (or give) out his voice, and that a mighty voice, &c. His excellency is over Israel, and his strength in the clouds (or heavens): O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places. Ps. lxviii. 33-35. everlasting, &c. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters.-Ps. xciii. 1, 2. 4. The Lord, a great God, and a great King above all gods. Ps. xcv. 3. cxxxv. 5-7. The Lord is great, &c. he is to be feared above all gods, &c. The Lord made the heavens; honour and majesty are before him, &c. Fear before him all the earth. -Ps. xcvi. 4-6.9. 1 Chron. xvi. 25. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about; his lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw and trembled; the hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord: at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. - Ps. xcvii. 3--5.9. The Lord reigneth, let the people tremble; he sitteth between the cherubim; let the earth be removed (or stagger). The Lord is great in Zion, he is high above all people : let them praise thy great and terrible name, for it is holy.-Ps. xcix. 1-3. As the heaven is high above the earth: so great is his mercy towards them that fear him, &c. As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him, &c. The mercy At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and the horse are cast into a dead sleep. Thou, even thou art to be feared; and who may of the Lord is from everlasting to stand in thy sight when once thou everlasting, upon them that fear him. art angry? &c. The earth feared and - Ps. ciii. 11. 13. 17. was still.-Ps. lxxvi. 6-8. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him. Ps. lxxxv. 9. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had He hath given meat unto them that fear him, &c. Holy and reverend is his name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. - Ps.cxi.5.9,10. Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters. - Ps. cxiv. 7, 8. He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.-Ps. cxv. 13. cxxviii. 1, &c. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he also will hear, &c. -Ps. cxlv. 19. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, &c.-Ps. cxlvii. 11. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.-Prov.i.7.ix. 10. Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.-Prov. iii. 7. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, &c. It is the fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. Prov. xiv. 26, 27. and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. - Isa. viii. 13. The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed it, so shall it stand, &c. The Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? - Isa. xiv. 24. 27. Thou hast made of a city an heap, &c. therefore shall the strong people glorify thee: the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. Isa. xxv. 2,3. Who would set the briars and thorns against me in battle? I would burn them together.-Isa. xxvii. 4. Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, &c. and their fear towards me is taught by Better is a little with the fear of the precept of men; therefore, &c. the Lord, than great treasures, &c. Prov. xv. 16. By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.-Prov. xvi. 6. Let not thine heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. -Prov. xxiii. 17. Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever, &c. and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. - Eccles. iii. 14. they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. Isa. xxix. 13, 14. 23. Behold, the Lord God will come, &c. who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, &c. Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing, &c. all nations before him are as nothing.--Isa. xl. 10.12.15.17. I the Lord the first, and with the last; I am he. The isles saw it, and feared, the ends of the earth were The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day, &c. And they shall go into afraid, drew near, &c.-Isa. xli. 4, 5. the holes, &c. for fear of the Lord, xliii. 10-13. and for the glory of his majesty: The heaven is my throne and the when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth is my foot-stool; where is the earth. Isa. ii. 17. 19. 21. house? Isa. Ixvi. 1. Acts vii. 48-50. Know therefore and see, that it is an evil thing, and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee. Jer. ii. 19. I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, &c. and one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. Then said I, Woe is me, &c. because I, a man of unclean lips, &c. have seen the King, When God had put away Israel, the Lord of hosts. - Isa. vi. 1.3.5. yet her treacherous sister Judah fearSanctify the Lord of hosts himself, ed not; but, &c.-Jer. iii. 8. |