gate wretches that are, who are most oppofite to that which is their true happiness, they are not against happiness it self, but they mistake about it, and erroneously fubftitue fomething else in the room of it. So that if men were upon all accounts firmly convinced, that God was their chief happiness, they would almost as neceffarily love him, as hungry men do eat, and thirsty men do drink. I have enlarged somewhat the more upon this particular, the better to manifeft the true cause or ground of this love, to confift in this perfuafion, that our chief happiness is in the favour of God, and the enjoyment of him.

CHAP. XV.

Of Reverence and the Fear of God.

TH

Hirdly, As for thofe kind of affections, which fhould be wrought in us, more especially from the apprehenfion of the Divine Power; thefe are reverence, fear, humility, a fubmiffive and filial awe, which is fo fuitable to the notion of Omnipotence, and fo neceffary a confequence from it, as not to be feparated.

By this Reverence, I mean, fuch an humble, aweful, and ingenuous regard towards the Divine nature, proceeding from a due esteem and love of him, whereby we are rendred unwilling to do any thing which may argue contempt of him, or which may provoke and offend him. 'Tis a duty which we owe to fuch as are in a fuperior relation, and is in the fifth Commandment enjoined under the name of Honour; which in the notion of it doth imply a mixture of Love and Fear, and in the object of it doth fuppofe Goodness and Power. That power which is hurtful to men, and de

void of goodness, may raise in their minds a dread and terror, but not a reverence and an honour. And therefore all fuch doctrines as afcribe unto God what is harsh and rigorous, and unworthy of his infinite goodness, instead of this filial, do beget a fervile fear in men. This is the

meaning of that citation in St. Austin, where he mentions it as Varro's judgment, Deum a religiofo vereri, a fuperftitiofo timeri. The paffion of fear and dread belongs to fuperftitious perfons, but the virtue of reverence to thofe that are religious. And that of Seneca, Deos nemo fa- Benefic. lib. nus timet, furor enim eft metuere faluta-4. cap. 19. Epift. 125. ria, nec quifquam amat quos timet. No man in his right mind will fear God in this fenfe; 'tis no less than madness to have frightful apprehenfions of that which is moft benign and beneficial; nor can true love confift with this kind of fear.

But as for this reverence, or filial fear, it is fo effential to a state of Religion, that not only the Scripture, but the Heathen Moralifts likewife do defcribe Religion it felf by this very name of fearing God. And men who are pious and devout, are by the Gentiles ftiled whales and pocóμfuo, men of reverence and fear.

Now though every one of the Divine

per

perfections may juftly challenge this affe&tion as due to it, particularly his infinite wifdom and goodness, yet doth it more particularly belong to his power. I shall fpeak briefly of each of these.

1. For his infinite knowledge and wifdom, which are things that have been always counted venerable. He knows all our infirmities and moft fecret faults, and therefore ought to be feared upon that account. 'Tis a notable faying in Cicero to this purpose; Quis non timeat omnia providentem & cogitantem, & animadvertentem, & omnia ad fe pertinere putantem, curiofum & plenum negotii Deum. "Who would not fear that God who "fees and takes notice of all things, fo "curious and full of business, as to have

a particular concern for every action "and perfon in the world. And in another place he makes this notion of the Deity, and the fear confequent thereupon, to be the chief bafis of Government, the first foundation of that civil policy whereby men are gathered together and preDe Legib. ferved in regular focieties. Sit perfuafum civibus, Deos, qualis quifque fit, quid in fe admittat, qui mente, qua pietate religiones colat, intueri; piorumque & impiorum habere rationem. "This is one of

Lib. 2.

the

"the first principles, which men who "would affociate under government,ought "to be convinced of, that God takes par"ticular notice, what kind of perfon eve16 ry one is, with what mind and devo"tion he applies himself to the duties of "Religion, and will deal with men accor

ding as they are pious or impious. From whence will follow, fuch a fear of offending him by any dishonest action, as must make men capable of living under go

vernment.

2. His goodness, holiness, kindness, and mercy, do afford another reason why he ought to be feared; though thefe are the moft immediate objects of our love and joy, yet will they likewise afford ground for our reverence. We read in one Text, of fearing the Lord and his goodness; which Hofea 3. 5. is, when men have fuch a fenfe of his goodnefs, as thereby to be affected with an holy awe and fear of offending him. And elfewhere 'tis faid, There is forgiveness with Pfal.130.4. him, that he ought to be feared. The meaning of which place may be this, Weftand in continual need of pardon and remiffion, being utterly undone without it; and God only doth give this, and therefore upon this account we ought to reverence and fear him.

3. This