Fifth. There flows from this godly fear of God, self-denial. That is, a holy abstaining from those things that are either unlawful or inexpedient; according to Nehemiah, "The former governors that had been before me, were chargeable unto the people, that had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver, yea, even their servants' bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God" (Neh 5:15).[17]
Here, there was no self-denial; he would not do as they did that went before him, neither himself nor his servants, but what put him upon these acts of self-denial? The answer is the fear of God: "But so did not I, because of the fear of God."
Whether the fear of God in this place means his Word or the grace of fear in his heart, it may be a scruple to some. Still, in my judgment, the text must have respect to the latter, to wit, to the grace of fear, for without that being indeed in the heart, the word will not produce that good self-denial in us that here you find this good man to live in the daily exercise of. The fear of God, therefore, was the cause of his self-denial, and this grace of fear was in his heart. This made him to be, as was said before, tender of the honor of God, and of the salvation of his brother: yea, so tender, that rather than he would give an occasion to the weak to stumble, or be offended, he would even deny himself of that which other never stuck to do. Paul also, through the sanctifying operations of this fear of God in his heart, did deny himself even of lawful things for the profit and commodity of his brother—"I will eat no flesh while the world stands, lest I make my brother offend"; that is if his eating of it would make his brother offend (1 Cor 8:13).
Men that have not this fear of God in them will not, cannot deny themselves—of love to God, and the good of the weak, who are subject to stumble at indifferent things—but where this grace of fear is, there follows self-denial; their men are tender of offending; and count that it far better becomes their profession to be of a self-denying, condescending conversation and temper than to stand sturdily to their own liberty in things inexpedient, whoever is offended thereat. Therefore, this grace of fear is excellent because it yields such wonderful fruit. For this self-denial, of how little esteem soever it be with some, yet the want of it, if the words of Christ be accurate, as they are, takes quite away from even a professor the very name of a disciple (Matt 10:37,38; Luke 14:26,27,33). They, says Nehemiah, lorded it over the brethren, but so did not I. They took bread and wine, and forty shekels of silver of them, but so did not I; yea, even their servant's bare rule over the people, "but so did not I, because of the fear of God."
Sixth. There flows from this godly fear of God "singleness of heart" (Col 3:22). Singleness of heart both to God and man; singleness of heart, that is it which in another place is called sincerity and godly simplicity, and it is this, when a man doth a thing simply for the sake of him or of the law that commands it, without respect to this by-end,[18]
or that desire of praise or of vain glory from others; I say, when our obedience to God is done by us simply or alone for God's sake, for his Word's sake, without any regard to this or that by-end or reserve, "not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God." A man is more subject to nothing than to swerve from singleness of heart in his service to God and obedience to his will. How doth the Lord charge the children of Israel and all their obedience, and that for seventy years together, with the want of singleness of heart towards him—"When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not you eat and drink for yourselves?" (Zech 7:5,6).
They wanted this singleness of heart in their fasting, and in their eating, in their mourning, and in their drinking; they had double hearts in what they did. They did not do as the apostle bids; "whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." And the reason for their want of this thing was, they wanted this fear of God; for that, as the apostle here saith, effected singleness of heart to God, and makes a man, as John said of Gaius, "do faithfully whatsoever he doth" (3 John 5). And the reason is, as hath been already urged, for that grace of fear of God retained and keep upon the heart a reverent and awful sense of the dread majesty and all-seeing eye of God, also due consideration of the day of account before him; it likewise maketh his service sweet and pleasing, and fortifies the soul against all discouragements; by this means, I say, the soul, in its service to God or man, is not so soon captivated as where there is not this fear, but through and by it its service is accepted, being single, sincere, simple, and faithful; when others, with what they do, are cast into hell for their hypocrisy, for they mix not what they do with godly fear. Singleness of heart in the service of God is of such absolute necessity that without it, as I have hinted, nothing can be accepted because where that is wanting, there wanted love to God, and to that which is true holiness indeed. This singleness of heart made Nathanael so honorable in the eyes of Jesus Christ. "Behold," said he, "an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile" (John 1:47). And it was the want of it that made him so much abhor the Pharisees. They wanted sincerity, simplicity, and godly sincerity in their souls, which became an abhorrence in his esteem. Now, I say, this golden grace, singleness of heart, flows from this godly fear of God.
