Second. It is a Word that is fearful and may well be called the fear of the Lord because of the subject matter of it; to wit, the state of sinners in another world, for that is it unto which the whole Bible bent itself, either more immediately or more mediately. All its doctrines, counsel, encouragements, and threatening judgments have a look, one way or another, upon us concerning the next world, which will be our last state because it will be to us a state eternal. This word, this law, these judgments, are they that we shall be disposed of by—"The word that I have spoken," says Christ, "it shall judge you (and so consequently dispose of you) in the last day" (John 12:48). Now, if we consider that our next state must be eternal, either eternal glory or eternal fire and that this eternal glory or this eternal fire must be our portion, according as the words of God, revealed in the holy Scriptures, shall determine; who will not but conclude that therefore the words of God are they at which we should tremble, and they by which we should have our fear of God guided and directed, for by them we are taught how to please him in everything?
Third. It is to be called a fearful Word because of the truth and faithfulness of it. The Scriptures cannot be broken. Here they are called the Scriptures of truth, the true sayings of God, and also the fear of the Lord, for that every jot and tittle thereof is forever settled in heaven and stand more steadfast than doth the world—"Heaven and earth," saith Christ, "shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matt 24:35). Those, therefore, that are favored by the Word of God, those are favored indeed, and that with the favor that no man can turn away. Still, those that are condemned by the word of the Scriptures can no man justify and set quit in the sight of God. Therefore, what is bound by the text is bound, and what is released by the text is released; also, the bond and release are unalterable (Dan 10:21; Rev 19:9; Matt 24:35; Psa 119:89; John 10:35). This, therefore, calleth upon God's people to stand more in fear of the Word of God than of all the terrors of the world.[7] There wanted even in the hearts of God's people a greater reverence of the Word of God than to this day appeared among us, and this let me say that want of reverence of the Word is the ground of all disorders that are in the heart, life, conversation, and in Christian communion. Besides, the want of reverence of the Word lay men open to the fearful displeasure of God—"Whoso despised the word shall be destroyed, but he that feared the commandment shall be rewarded" (Prov 13:13).
All transgression begins at wandering from the Word of God, but, on the other side, David saith, "Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer" (Psa 17:4). Therefore, Solomon saith, "My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings; let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them amid thine heart; for they are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh" (Prov 4:20-22). Now, if indeed thou would reverence the Word of the Lord and make it thy rule and director in all things, believe that the Word is the fear of the Lord, the Word that stands fast forever; without and against which God will do nothing, either in saving or damning of the souls of sinners. But to conclude this,
1. Know that those that have no due regard to the Word of the Lord, and that makes it, not their dread and their fear, but the rule of their life is the lust of their flesh, the desire of their eyes, and the pride of life, are sorely rebuked by this doctrine, and are counted the fools of the world; for "lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them?" (Jer 8:9). That there are such people is evident, not only by their irregular lives but by the manifest testimony of the Word. "As for the word of the Lord," said they to Jeremiah, "that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee, but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goes forth out of our own mouth" (Jer 44:16). Was this only the temper of wicked men then? Is not the same spirit of rebellion amongst us today? Doubtless, there is, for there is no new thing—"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be, and that which is done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun" (Eccl 1:9). Therefore, as it was then, so it is with many in this day.
As for the Word of the Lord, it is nothing to them; their lusts, and whatever proceeded out of their mouths, that they will do and follow. Now, such will certainly perish in their own rebellion; for this is as the sin of witchcraft; it was the sin of Korah and his company, and that which brought upon them such heavy judgments; yea, and they are made a sign that thou shouldest not do as they, for they perished (because they rejected the word, the fear of the Lord) from among the congregation of the Lord, "and they became a sign." The word which thou despise still abided to denounce its woe and judgment upon thee; and unless God will save such with the breath of his word—and it is hard trusting to that—they must never see his face with comfort (1 Sam 15:22,23; Num 26:9,10).
2. Are the words of God called by the name of the fear of the Lord? Are they so dreadful in their receipt and sentence? Then this rebukes them that esteem the words and things of men more than the words of God, as those do who are drawn from their respect of, and obedience to, the Word of God, by the pleasures or threats of men. Some will acknowledge the authority of the Word but will not stop their souls to it. Whatever they think of themselves, they are judged by Christ to be ashamed of the Word, wherefore their state is damnable as the other. "Whosoever," saith he, "shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of the Father, with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38).
3. And if these things be so, what will become of those that mock at and professedly contemn the words of God, making them ridiculous and not to be regarded? Shall they prosper that do such things? From the promises, it is concluded that their judgment now, which has been slumbered for a long time, has not. When it comes, it will devour them without remedy (2 Chron 36:15). If God, I say, hath put that reverence upon his Word as to call it the fear of the Lord, what will become of them that do what they can to overthrow its authority, by denying it to be his Word, and by raising cavils against its authority? Such stumble, indeed, at the Word, being appointed thereunto, but it shall judge them in the last day (1 Peter 2:8; John 12:48). Thus, much for this.
