1 Peter 1:17
And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.
The temptations that meet a Christian in the world to turn him aside from the straight way of obedience and holiness, are either such as present the hope of some apparent good, to draw him from that way; or the fear of some evil to drive and frighten him from it: and therefore the word of God is much in strengthening the Christian mind against these two, and it does it mainly by possessing it, both with hopes, and fears of a higher nature, that do by far weigh down the other.
The most frequent assaults of temptation are upon these two passions of the mind, therefore they are mainly to be fortified and defended by a hope and fear opposite to those that do assault us, and sufficiently strong to resist and repel them.
These two therefore our Apostle here exhorts. 1. The hope of that glory that the Gospel propounds, and so outbids all the offers of the world, both in the greatness, and the certainty of its promises. 2. The fear of God, the greatest and most just judge, only worthy to be feared and reverenced; the highest anger and enmity of all the world being less than nothing in comparison of his smallest displeasure. There is here.
1. This fear. 2. The reason enforcing it. 3. The term or continuance of it.
In fear.] But how suits this with the high discourse that went before of perfect assured hope? Of faith and love; and joy, yes, joy unspeakable, and glorious, arising out of these: how are all those excellencies fallen as it were into a dungeon? When fear is mentioned after them, does not the Apostle St. John say that true love casts out fear, and is it not more clearly [reconstructed: opposite] to perfect or assured hope and to faith and joy?
If you understand it aright, this is such a fear as does not prejudice, but preserve those other graces and the comfort and joy that arises from them. And they all agree so well with it, that they are naturally helps each to the other.
It were superfluous to insist on the defining this passion of fear, and the manifold distinctions of it, either with philosophers or divines. The fear here recommended is out of question, a holy self-suspicion and fear of offending God, which may not only consist with assured hope of salvation, and with faith, and love, and spiritual joy, but is their inseparable companion as all divine graces are linked together, as they said of their three graces, and as they dwell together they grow or decrease together. The more a Christian believes, and loves, and rejoices in the love of God, the more unwilling sure to displease him, and if in danger the more afraid of it; and on the other side this fear being the true principle of a wary and holy conversation, flying sin, and the occasions and temptations of sin, and resisting them when they set on, is as a watch or guard, that keeps out the enemies, and disturbers of the soul, and so preserves its inward peace, keeps the assurance of faith and hope unmolested, and that joy which they cause, and the intercourse and societies of love between the soul and her beloved uninterrupted; all which are then most in danger when this fear abates, and falls to slumbering; for then readily some notable sin or other breaks in, puts all into disorder; and for a time makes those graces and the comfort of them to present feeling, as much to seek, as if they were not there at all.
No wonder then if the Apostle having stirred up his Christian brethren, whatever be their estate in the world, to seek to be rich in those jewels of faith, and hope, and love, and spiritual joy, and then considering that they travel among a world of thieves and robbers (no wonder I say) that he adds this, advises them to give those their jewels in custody, under God, to this trusty and watchful grace of godly fear; and having earnestly exhorted them to holiness, he is very fittingly particular in this fear, which makes up so great a part of that holiness, that it is often in Scripture named for it all.
Solomon calls it the beginning, or the top of wisdom; the word signifies both, and it is both. The beginning of it is the beginning of wisdom, and the progress and increase of it, is the increase of wisdom. That hardy rashness that many account valor is the companion of ignorance, and of all rashness boldness to sin, is the most witless and foolish. There is in [illegible] as in all fear an apprehension of an evil, of which we are in danger. The evil is sin, and the displeasure of God and punishment following upon sin. The godly man judges wisely as the truth is, that sin is the greatest of evils and the cause of all other evils, it is a transgression of the just law of God, and so a provocation of his just anger, and the cause of those punishments temporal and spiritual and eternal which he inflicts. And then considering how mighty he is to punish, both the power and reach of his hand, that it is both most heavy and unavoidable. All these things may and should concur to the working of this fear.
There is (no doubt) a great difference between those two kinds of fear that are usually differentiated by the name of servile and filial fear, but certainly the most genuine fear of the sons of God, that call him Father, does not exclude the consideration of his justice, and of the punishment of sin that his justice inflicts; we see here it is used as the great motive of this fear, that he judges every man according to his works. And David in that Psalm in which he so much breathes forth those other sweet affections of love, and hope, and delight in God, and in his Word, yet expresses this fear even of the justice of God. My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments (Psalm 119:120). The flesh is to be awed with divine judgments, though the higher and surer part of the soul is strongly and freely tied with the cords of love, temporal corrections indeed they fear not so much in themselves, as that impression of wrath that may be upon them for their sins (Psalm 6:1, etc.). That is the main matter of their fear, because their happiness is in his love and the light of his countenance, [reconstructed: that is] their life, they regard not how the world looks upon them, care not who frowns so he smiles [reconstructed: upon them], and because no other enemy nor evil in [reconstructed: the world] can prejudice them in this but their own sin, [reconstructed: it] is that they fear most.
As the evil is great, so the Christian has great reason to fear in regard of his danger of it, considering the multitude, and strength, and craft of his enemies, and his own weakness and unskilfulness to resist them, and his sad experience in being often foiled, reaches him that it is thus; he cannot be ignorant of it, he finds how often his own resolves and purposes [reconstructed: deceive] him. Certainly a godly man is sometimes driven to wonder at his own frailty and inconstancy, what strange differences will be, between him and himself, how high and how delightful at some times are his thoughts of God, and the glory of the life to come, and yet how easily at another time, base temptations will bemire him, or at the least molest and vex him, and this keeps him in a continual fear, and that fear in continual vigilance and circumspectness. When he looks up to God and considers the truth of his promises, and the sufficiency of his grace and protection, and the almighty strength of his Redeemer, these things fill his soul with confidence and assurance: But when he turns his eye downward again upon himself, and finds so much remaining corruption within, and so many temptations and dangers and adversaries without, this forces him not only to fear but to despair of himself; and it should do so, that his trust in God may be the purer and more entire: That confidence in God will not make him secure and presumptuous in himself, nor that fear of himself make him diffident of God. This fear is not opposite to faith but high-mindedness and presumption is (Romans 11:20). To a natural mind it would seem an odd kind of reasoning, that of the Apostle (Philippians 2:12-13). It is God that works in you to will and to do of his good pleasure. Therefore (would he think) you may save a labor, you may sit still, and not work, or if you work you may work fearlessly, being so sure of his help, but the Apostle is of another mind, his inference is therefore work out your own salvation and work it with fear and trembling.
But he that has assurance of salvation — why should he fear? If there is truth in his assurance nothing can disappoint him, not sin itself; it is true, but it is no less true, that if he does not fear to sin, there is no truth in his assurance: it is not the assurance of faith, but the mispersuasion of a secure and profane mind. 2. Suppose it so; that the sins of a godly man cannot be such as to cut him short of that salvation of which he is assured, yet they may be such as for a time will deprive him of that assurance, and not only remove the comfort he has in that, but let in horrors, and anguish of conscience in its stead; though a believer is freed from hell (and we may overstrain this assurance in our doctrine, beyond what the soberest and devoutest men in the world can ever find in themselves, though they will not trouble themselves to contest and dispute with them that say they have it) so that his soul cannot come there, yet some sins may bring as it were a piece of hell into his soul for a time, and this is reason enough for any Christian in his right wits to be afraid of sin. No man would willingly hazard himself upon a fall that may break his leg, or some other bone, though he could be made sure, both that he should not break his neck, or that his life were not at all in danger, and that he should be perfectly cured; yet the pain, and trouble of such a hurt would scare him, and make him wary and fearful when he walks in danger. The broken bones that David complains of after his fall, may work fear and wariness in these that hear him, though they were ascertained of a like recovery.
This fear is not cowardice, it does not debase, but elevates the mind, for it drowns all lower fears, and begets true fortitude, and courage to encounter all dangers, for a good conscience, and the obeying of God. The righteous is bold as a lion, he dares do anything, but offend God; and to dare that is the greatest folly, and baseness, and weakness in the world. From this fear have sprung all the generous resolutions, and patient sufferings of the saints, and martyrs of God, because they dared not sin against him; therefore they dared be imprisoned, and impoverished, and tortured, and die for him. Thus the Prophet Isaiah sets carnal, and godly fear as opposite, and the one expelling the other (Isaiah 8:12-13). And our Savior (Luke 12:4): Fear not them that kill the body: But fear him which after he has killed has power to cast into hell — indeed, I say to you, fear him. Fear not, but fear, and therefore fear, that you may not fear. This fear is like the trembling that has been observed in some great courages before their battles, Moses was bold, and fearless in dealing with a proud and wicked king, but when God appeared he said, says the Apostle, I exceedingly fear, and quake (Hebrews 12:21).
The reason that we have here to persuade this fear, is twofold. 1. Their relation to God. 2. Their relation to the world.
First. To God as their Father, as their Judge, because you do call him Father, and profess yourselves his children, begotten again by him (for this looks back to that) it becomes you as obedient children to stand in awe, and fear to offend him your Father, and a Father so full of goodness, and tender love, but as he is the best Father, so consider, that he is withal, the greatest, and most just judge, who judges according to every man's work.
God always sees, and discerns men, and all their work, and judges, that is, accounts of them as they are, and sometimes in this life declares this his judgment of them to their own consciences, and in some to the view of others, in visible punishments, and rewards: but the most solemn judgment of all is reserved to that great day which he has appointed, wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by his Son Jesus (Acts 17:32).
There is here the sovereignty of this judge, the universality of his judgment, and the equity of it. All must answer at his great court — he is supreme judge of the world, he made it, and has therefore unquestionable right to judge it; he judges every man, and it is a most righteous judgment, which has these two in it. First, an exact and perfect knowledge of all men's works. Second, impartial judgment of them so known. This second is expressed negatively, by removing the crooked rule which man's judgment often follows — it is without consideration of those personal differences that men eye so much. And the first is according to the work itself. (Job 34:19) He [reconstructed: accepts] not the person of princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, and the reason is added: therefore they are all the work of his hands. He made all the persons, and he makes all those differences himself as it pleases him, therefore he does not admire them as we do, no, nor at all regard them. We find very great difference between stately palaces and poor cottages, between a prince's robes and a beggar's cloak, but to God they are all one — all these petty differences vanish in comparison of his own greatness. Men are great and small compared one with another, but they all together amount to just nothing in respect of him. We find high mountains and low valleys on this earth, but compared with the vast compass of the heavens it is all but as a point, and has no sensible greatness at all.
Nor does he regard any other differences to bias his judgment, from the works of men to their persons. You profess the true religion, and call him Father, but if you live devoid of his fear, and be disobedient children, he will not spare you because of that relation, but rather punish you the more severely, because you pretended to be his children, and yet obeyed him not. Therefore you shall find him your judge and an impartial judge of your works. Remember therefore that your father is this judge, and fear to offend him. But then indeed a believer may look back to the other for comfort, that abuses it not to a sinful security. He resolves thus willingly: I will not sin, because my father is this just judge; but for my frailties I will hope for mercy, because the judge is my father.
"Their works" comprehends all actions and words — indeed, thoughts, and each work entirely taken outside and inside together, for he sees all alike and judges according to all together. He looks on the wheels and paces within, as well as on the handle without, and therefore ought we to fear the least crookedness of our intentions in the best works. For if we entertain any such, and study not singleness of heart, this will cast all, though we pray, and hear the word, and preach it, and live outwardly blamelessly. And in that great judgment, all secret things shall be manifest — as they are always open to the eye of this judge, so he shall then open them before men and angels. Therefore let the remembrance and frequent consideration of this all-seeing judge, and of that great judgment, wean our hearts and beget in us this fear. (2 Corinthians 5:10-11) If you would have confidence in that day, and not fear it when it comes, fear it now, so as to avoid sin, for they that now tremble at it shall then, when it comes, lift up their faces with joy. And they that will not fear it now shall then be overwhelmed with fears and terror — they shall have such a burden of fear then as that they shall account the hills and mountains lighter than it.
"Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear" — in this I conceive is implied another persuasive of this fear. You are sojourners and strangers, as here the word signifies, and a wary, circumspect carriage becomes strangers, because they are most exposed to wrongs and hard accidents. You are encompassed with enemies and snares — how can you be secure in the midst of them? This is not your rest; watchful fear becomes this your sojourning life. Perfect peace and security is reserved for you at home, and that is the last term of this fear — it continues all the time of this sojourning life, dies not before us; we and it shall expire together.
"Blessed is he that fears always," says Solomon — in secret and in society, in his own house and in God's; we must hear the word with fear, and preach it with fear, afraid to miscarry in our intentions and manners. Serve the Lord with fear — indeed, in times of inward comfort and joy, rejoice with trembling. (Psalm 2:11) Not only when he feels most his own weakness, but when he finds himself strongest. None so highly advanced in grace here below as to be out of need of this grace. But when their sojourning shall be done, and they are come home to their father's house above, then no more fearing. No entry for dangers there, and therefore no fear. A holy reverence of the majesty of God they shall indeed have then most of all, as the angels still have, because they shall see him most clearly, and the more he is known, the more [reconstructed: reverenced]. But this fear that relates to danger shall then vanish, for there there is neither sin, nor sorrow for sin, nor temptation to sin, no more conflicts. But after a full and final victory — an eternal peace, an everlasting triumph. Not only fear, but faith and hope do imply some imperfection not consistent with that blessed estate, and therefore all of them, having obtained their end, shall end. Faith in sight, and hope in possession, and fear in perfect safety, and everlasting love and delight shall fill the whole soul in the vision of God.
