Verse 5

VER. 5.

The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear, because of the calves of Beth-aven.

You heard before that they were convinced in their consciences that they did not fear God, for now they shall say, We have no King, because we feared not the Lord. They feared not God, but now they shall fear. From where the note is this.

That those that fear God least, are most afraid of any thing else. Where the fear of God is not, other base fear will be, and so much the more, the less we fear God. Oh! how much better were it that our fear were set upon God, than upon other things? You must love something; were it not better that your love were placed upon God than any thing else? And you must fear something; were it not better that your fear were upon God, than any thing else? And you must rejoice in something, and sorrow and the like. Fear, it is a very troublesome affection, if it be misplaced; Oh! learn to place your affections right, place them upon God: by the fear of God you shall come to fear nothing else; Oh! how excellent is God's fear! This one thing sets out the excellency of the fear of God: that where the fear of God is settled in the hearts of men and women, all other base fears are rooted out. Would not you be glad to be delivered from creature fears, especially you that have lived in many dangers a few months since? Oh! if you might be delivered from the fears of the creature, how glad would you be? Here's the only way; let the fear of God be strong in your hearts, and the fear of the creature will not prevail with you.

You see it clearly in the example of Habakkuk, in (Habakkuk 3:16), when I heard (God revealed his will) my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice; rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in my self. But now Habakkuk, why would you trouble your self with so much fear? Mark, there was a great good came to him by it, that I might rest in the day of trouble when he comes up to the people: when there shall be a coming up to the people, and the enemy shall prevail, and when the fig tree shall not blossom, nor the fruit be in the vine, the labor of the olive shall fail, and the field shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, when things shall be brought into the most sad condition, that men shall be at their wits end and know not what in the world to do, then (says he) I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. When God spoke, then my belly trembled, and my lips quivered at the voice. Yea, but when men came in the greatest rage, and when all things were dark and dismal, and black abroad, yet then did I rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of my salvation, all fear was gone then. Men can rejoice in the time of their prosperity, but in times of afflictions then they fear? Whereas those that fear the Lord in their prosperity, in the times of their affliction then they most rejoice. It's a notable speech I remember I have read in Nazianzen in his 12th Oration (says he) this is our care, that we are afraid of nothing more, than that we should fear any thing more than God, that's his expression. Here's an excellent fear, here's fear rightly set; would you fear? fear to fear any thing more than God, and then your fear is set right: but if you do not, &c. Though men that have no fear of God they may seem to have bold spirits, and it seems to come through the greatness of their spirits, that they will not fear God, yet these men in the time of danger are the most base cowardly men in the world. I'll give you a notable instance for this, Manasses he was as proud an insolent man, that seemed to be fearless of any threatening of God, scorned his Prophets; but mark, when he came into danger, in (2 Chronicles 33:11), where did they find Manasses? He was run into the bushes, this brave bold spirited man that dared God and his Prophets, and cared not for what was said, yet when he came into any danger, what a base low spirit he had? He runs and hides himself in a company of bushes and briars.

This is the temper and guise of the spirits of men that will not fear God.