A SERMON PREACHED before the King's MAJESTY On Sunday the seventeenth of February last, at White-Hall By D or WREN, the Master of St PETER College in CAMBRIDGE, and his Majesty's Chaplain.  
¶ Printed by Command  
AT CAMBRIDGE By THOMAS and JOHN BUCK, Printers to the University. ANN. DOM. 1627.   
PROVERBS 24.21. Time Deum, fili mi, & Regem. Fear GOD, my son, and the KING. 
NOLI AEMULARI, Fret not thyself, because of the ungodly, neither be thou envious for the evil doer, says K. David the Father, Psal. 37.1. and, Let not thy heart be envious for the evil doer, says K. Solomon the Son, Prov. 23.17. Why, the Son learned it of his Father, you will say; or, 'twas a good and a godly Lesson, and no marvel then, if the wise Kings, both of them, put it in among their holy Advices.  
Yea, but Be not thou envious for the evil doer, says K. Solomon again, at the first verse of this Chapter. What, again? And so soon, so few verses between? Surely then there is some extraordinary matter in it, 'tis not only one of his good Counsels, but 'tis some special one of them, one that he would have heeded and learned, afore many, above any other.  
It should seem so indeed; for, NOLI AEMULARI, Fret not thyself because of the ungodly, neither be thou envious for the evil doer, says he once more, in the verses next before my Text. For fear it should not make so deep an Impression in men's minds as was fitting, he sets it on the third time, as loath to leave it, till it be throughly settled and fastened in their hearts; but tertiâ jam vice, 
* 2. Cor. 13.1.  says the Apostle, firmum erit omne verbum, the Admonition thrice repeated will make it sure and immooveable.  
Now who (in the name of God) is that evil doer, of whom he here warns us so often? or what is it the Wiseman would have us to do, to show that we are not envious for him? Why, that the Spirit hath set down too, and that once and again. In the precedent Chapter, vers. 17. it is, Let not thy heart be envious for the evil doer, but let it always be in the Fear of the Lord. TIMOR DOMINI, that's the General Rule for it; but least that might prove not Punctual enough, he says it over again, more particularly here at my Text, Be not envious for the evil doer, but fear God, my son, and the King, and then that's enough;  
Timor Dei, & Regis, when he had said that, there needed (by like) no more Instruction: The distinct performance of these two, and the district avoidance of such as perform them not, of presumptuous and reckless Sinners, and of contemptuous and awelesse Subjects, a Noli aemulari for both these, not to sort or suit ourselves with them, neither with them that fear not God, nor with them that pretend (forsooth) to fear God, but yet fear not the King, 'tis the very last, and chiefest Lesson this of all, that which Solomon (it seems) in his wisdom chose to close up his own Book of Proverbs with.  
For however he spoke indeed 
* 1. King. 4.32.  3000 Proverbs in all, and this of my Text now makes not above 700, yet as it appears both by the verse after my Text [Also these things appertain to the wise] and by the first verse of the Chapter following [These are also Proverbs of Solomon, which Hezekiah's men copied out] it is more than probable, that this Book of Proverbs went no further once then this, to Fear God and the King, and then he had done; And that all which now follows, from my Text to the end of this Book, were but fragments collected out of his other works, gatherings and glean which afterward other men got together, and when they had them, added them to this Book; but with this he himself ended it at the first, as the very Sum and Crown and Upshot of all, TIME DEUM, FILI MI, ET REGEM, Fear God, my son, and the King.  

The Division.  Now the Words (you see) are in all scarce twice three, yet at once they present us with three chief Persons, and three great Relations. The Persons no less than God, the Lord of all; and God's Deputy, the King; and all that call God Father, all the People.  
The Relations are, first Personae, What Reference all these persons stand in, one to another; God, to King and people; The King, to the people and God; The people, to God and the King. Secondly, Operae, What must be done, as a Due to God and the King, and as a Duty from the people to both; Timere, they are to fear them. Lastly, Causae, Why it must be done, yea and Modi too, How it must be done, Quia filii, and Quà filii, Because they are Sons, and As Sons: Fear them therefore, and fear them so; So for the Manner, and So for the Order too, as Sons to both, both to God and King; yet as Sons, first to God, and then to the King. All these particulars, and more, are encircled within this narrow compass, Fear God, my son, and the King.  
Of which, that I may so speak, as that God's people may learn the fear of God and the King aright, I humbly beseech you, that we may here address ourselves unto GOD, that holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, etc.  Fear GOD, my son, and the KING. 
YOu see, what first meets us at the very Door of the Text, and there must our Beginning be, at 〈◊〉 at the Duty of Fear; and in that, at Dei●efore ●efore Regis, at the Fear of the Lord first, and then that's the best Beginning that may be.  
To Begin at God, is in Nature, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, says one of their Poets, and A jove princ●pium, says another; but at the Fear of God, is of Wisdom above Nature, The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom, says the Psalmist, Psal. 111.11. And as it Begins, so it Goes on; it is the Increase of Wisdom also, says Solomon, Prov. 15.33. yea, 'tis the very End of all, the Summe of what can be said or done; Eccles. 12. Let us hear the end of all, Fear God, for this is the whole Duty of man; Hoc est omnis homo, This ev'ry man must do, or else he does nothing; and more than this need no man to do; it will be very abundant for him, if he do truly Fear God.  

Timor Dei.  Why else doth the Spirit so often name us the Fearing of God, rather than any other Christian Duty; My son, love God; or, My son, praise God; or, My son, obey God; or, My son, trust in God? All these had been Charges holy and good, but none of them all had been so much though: My son, fear God, is a Project and Promise of them all; for Fear is a Catholic duty, that runs through all duties else, and keeps them in tune; 'tis God's Praepositus in the School of Graces, it sees that none of them all be out of Order, or in any kind Faulty;  
It makes us look well to our Ear, for fear we should hear unprofitably; to our Eye, for fear we should glance unreverently; to our Love, for fear ought slip from us which God may take for unkind and unlovely; to our Obedience, for fear we grow careless or presumptuous; to our Faith, for fear we become doubting or desperate; to our joy, for fear it be immoderate; to our Grief, for fear it be unwarrantable; to our Devotion, for fear it be hypocritical; to our Religion, for fear it be superstitious; to our whole Life, for fear it be licentious. For Fear is as the Inquisitor Major over all the rest, when it is r●ght, all offices else are right, all is well if God be but rightly feared.  
Let it be no wonder then, that the Prophet attributes fear to Christ himself, and that at the end of diverse other virtues, as a sure Guide and Director of them all. The spirit of the Lord upon him, saith he, Esa. 11.2. But what Spirit? The spirit of Wisdom, and of Understanding; the spirit of Counsel, and of Strength; the spirit of Knowledge, and of the Fear of the Lord: without that indeed, the rest (as great as they are) would be little or nothing; and concerning that therefore the next verse adds yet further, Et odorabitur timorem Domini, besides his having the spirit of Fear, he shall also hunt and seek after it above all the rest; Nay, odorabitur, it shall be the very Breath of his nostrils, the Life and Soul of all gifts else in him, the Fear of the Lord.  
And to this suits well that excellent meditation that Irenaeus has about it. Such things 
* Lib. 4. cap. 3●  (saith he) as upon our Forefathers were so strictly charged in the old Law, as merely slavish and servile, all those indeed the liberty of the Gospel pared off at once: But then Natural things, and such as comply with ingenuity and freedom, (as the Knowing of God, the Loving of him, the Following his Word, and the Subduing our own lusts) these were to be dilated by the Gospel, and not dissolved; so far from abolition, that they received a far greater augmentation. And from hence it comes (saith he) that our Fear of God (that's it which principally he chooses to insist upon) is much more grown now, then ever the Law could expect it. And why? Because it is natural (says he) that Sons should fear more than Servants, the very Liberty of Sons being as a Loadstone to allure, and as a Whetstone to increase, and as a Touchstone to try their Love, and their inbred Affection, setting such an edge on the Reverence and Fear which they bear him, as no Slavery of the Law could ever skill of.  
That we have not then since Christ received the Spirit of Bondage to Fear any more, S. Paul says right for that, Rom. 8.15. because such Fear as that, (the Fear that was of old) cruciatum habet, 1. john 4.18. it only vexed and afflicted them that had it: But yet by the blessing of the Gospel, the Fear of the Lord is highly improved to us; for 'tis the Spirit of Adoption now, and only combines with joy and Pleasure, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, says 
* Serm. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Pantaleon, It is such a reverend and free disposition in us toward God our Father, that though we were sure he should ne'er know of our offence, or could possibl● say to us, I know it, and it offends me, but yet I will not punish it; even therefore we would strive the more against it, as being loath to displease so good a Father, and having more care not to miscarry, than not to smart for it; and performing Duty, not for fear of suffering vengeance, but for fear of foregoing that Duty, and of wronging so much Love, as he and we are mutually engaged in.  
And now by this I know (says S. 
* in Psal. 127.  Hilary) what King David meant, when he called the faithful to school to him, 
* Psal. 34.11.  Come my children, and hearken unto me, and I will teach you the Fear of the Lord. For what needs that (saith he) if there were nothing else in it? Who teaches the Lamb to fear the Wolf? or who reads lessons against the Kite to the Chickens? But the fear of the Lord comes by holy Rule and Instruction; it is not what Nature trembles at, but what Grace directs to; and it is not perfectly had, but from the lessons of Love, such Love as obliges to beware of all offending.  
Now the Psalmist indeed does not there set it down; but if any profess they are come to learn it, I dare close up this point with an answer to that other question of his, Quis est vir? Psal. 25. What Man is he that feareth the Lord? For a man may soon know him now; at least, he may easily know, whether himself be the man: If he find in his soul so pure and devoted an Affection to God his Father, that his joy is only how to please him, and his Study to avoid offending of him, his whole Content is that God loves him, and securely he rests himself upon the favour that God has to him; Hic vir, hic est, this man may be bold that he is a good Proficient, and that he hath throughly learned the fear of the Lord  
But yet this is not enough though for the Time Deum here in my Text. That there is such a thing as Fear, and that it is now in a more liberal and Son-like condition, then when Solomon spoke of it, and that the mind of man may be and aught to be entirely affected with it, and that God alone must be the Object of it; in Speculation indeed it comes to no more, Timor Domini is but this, and these particulars make up the full Theory of the fear of the Lord: But yet there goes somewhat more to the perfect duty of it; for this Time Deum, as a present and particular Precept, aims also at the Practising of it, it implies the fact as well as the mind, all actual and outward Expressions of it, besides the inward and habitual affection.  
So that's the next thing which here we must look at, 
Expressio Timoris.  if a man's spirit be right in the Fear of God, and the right Spirit of Gods Fear be upon him, what demonstrance withal he must make of the same, and how it must be acted, that it may appear, God is thus Feared.  
For Corpus autem aptâsti mihi, if ever ye marked it, you know 'tis not omitted of our Saviour himself, that God having ordained him a Body, in that Body he was to perform his will; Heb. 10.9. And much more is it so with us; we being Bodies also and not only Spirits, the Spirit alone will not suffice us; 'tis not enough that our minds and affections are inwardly endued with it, but such expressions withal we must make, as that the performance of the Duty may be witnessed. The Duty we acknowledge is, that we do Fear God; and but by that which is to be read in our outward deportment, neither God nor Man will bear us witness, that we do Fear him.  
God, nor Man, I say. For expressions I shall show you there are of both kinds, both to God and to Man. To Man, that he may know it, and so (when need is) acknowledge it, and glorify God for it, or profit himself by it: To God, only that he may be pleased to acknowledge it, though he knew it long before; for he knows what is in man, better than man himself. And for this 'tis brought in with a Nunc to Abraham (that Father, not of the Faithful alone, but of the Fearful too; for He is the first that's ever said to Fear the Lord) Gen. 22.12. Nunc cognovi, quòd timeas, Now I know that thou fearest God What? Not till now, Lord? Was Abraham's mind unknown to thee before? Could not God tell long ago, whether Abraham feared him? Yes; as S. Peter answered Christ's third question, Whether he loved him, with Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee, and yet Christ the third time said to him, Feed my sheep, joh. 21.17. As who should say, ne'er be sorry Simon, that I ask thee so often, and ne'er doubt but I perfectly know thee; but know it I will not, till thou thus express it; for however God requires truth in the inward parts, yet the inward parts alone are not all he requires, he will not know, that he is loved, unless that love do outwardly appear, and expression we must make of our Fear, or else he will not acknowledge, that we do fear him.  

Ipsi Deo.  NOw what expression of it can we make to God? Abraham's case forenamed shows us, that upon special commands there may be Special ways of it, even to the sacrificing of an only Son, if God so require. But the Ordinary way that lies open for all men, the very word itself here will show us, that we must express our fear to God by Acts of Religion; for so the word fear ordinarily imports in Scripture.  
When Moses had at large described the whole Duty of God's Worship, his conclusion is, And now Israel, what doth the Lord require of thee, but to fear him? Deut. 10.12. That special command, which God sent against worshipping of strange Gods, was, Fear not the Gods of the land where you dwell; judg. 6.10. And the complaint which the Prophet makes of Israel, that the fear wherewith they feared God, was in precepts of men's teaching, Esa. 29.13. by Christ himself 'tis expounded of corrupting God's Worship; In vain do they worship me, teaching for Doctrines the precepts of men; Matth. 15.9.  
And in this sense I can tell what to make of it, that when the Articles were to be sworn to, betwixt the two great Princes Laban and jacob, how jacob should use Laban's daughters, whom he had to wife, and how Laban should keep a faithful league with jacob; Laban indeed swore by his Idols, but jacob swore a strange oath, Per timorem Patris Isaac, by the fear of his Father Isaac; Gen. 31.53. What was that? Why, Laban swore according to his Religion, and jacob according to his; by the worth and truth thereof, and by that Deity which his Father and he feared, to wit, the God of Heaven, whom they worshipped.  
And with a reference to this also we must take it, what's recorded in holy writ of religious Obadiah, holy job, devout Cornelius, and sundry others, still, how they feared God: For as it appears by the Wiseman, 
Ecclesiasticus 1.30.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the fear of God and the worship of God, they are all one in the language of the Spirit. And the Grammarians themselves have noted it so, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the most peculiar word for worship (coming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) in the nature of it imports nothing else but an eminent fear; 
* Phavorin.  so that these two will ever go together, and where there is any true fearing of God, there will be withal a due worshipping of him.  
And does not K. David himself lead to this, in plain terms construing his own mind? But as for me (saith he) I will come into thy house; Psal. 5.7. His meaning is, I will come, and worship thee; For that was all the 
* Psal. 13●. 7.  coming into God's house in those days, when they came, they came to worship; and worship God they did, when 'ere they came thither: they were neither too holy, nor too stately, neither too fine, nor too foolish, to cast themselves down when they came into God's presence. But to make it sure, he goes on in the next words there, And in thy fear will I worship in thy holy Temple, saith he; There we have them both expressly; not worship put alone, nor fear alone put for worship (though either had been enough, I will worship thee, or, I will show my fear of thee, in thy Temple) but both together; When I am there, in thy fear will I worship, that is, I will adore thee with such Expressions of Humility and Reverence, as of right do appertain to a Creator from his Creature.  
And how fully then meets this with the Epidemial profanation of our times, that will third you a difference now betwixt this fear and perfect worship, betwixt a Religion and a due Devotion, betwixt Holiness and Holiness? Holiness good store (for sooth) in heart and in mind, Religion in the belly and the brain, oh, we are so full of that, we are ready to burst with it, it runs out many times at our mouth, with, Stand farther off, I am holier than thou; yea, 
Esa. 65.5▪  and we are good men (you must know) and exceeding godly, such as fear God, and hear his Word duly; That's true, we have a great deal of Religion in our Ears too. But yet higher or lower though we have none, None upon our Heads, for a due Reverence before him; None in our Knees, to bow at his blessed Name; None for our Bodies, to cast them down and worship.  
Especially not in his house, in the most Sacred presence of our God; No, the less a do there, the better, the less Superstition. Do but come in confidently, and without any more stir, sit down, and be covered, and hear; and who dare say, that we fear not God? Whatsoever is more than this, for Adoration or any Beauty of Holiness, talk K. David what he will of it, yet it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Superstitious overfearing of God with many of us: for where requires he any of these Expressions and external operations in his worship?  
But to these unsavoury Fancies, may the Prophet Malachy have leave to reply; many passages of whose first Chapter (mutatis mutandis) fit these times as well, as they did those they were made for. And they are ne'er a whit from my Text neither; for they are all about Expressions of Fear in the Service of God. At the sixth verse, If I be a Father, where is my Honour? and if I be a Master, where is my Fear, saith God to you that despise my Name?  
But they wondered he should complain: They feared him, and honoured him, they were sure, as they should do; (and it may well be, they meant it as we do, within, in our hearts forsooth;) therefore they reply again; Despise? Wherein have we despised thee? vers. 7. God tells them, In that ye say, The Table of the Lord is not to be regarded: There's one particular for them, of the want of fear and honour. And are there not of us that say the same? The Table of the Lord, and the House of the Lord, and the Presence of the Lord, would you know how we (some of us) regard it, or what difference we put betwixt it and any other places? A great deal less, I am sure, than some other: For the King's Presence, and the places where but our betters are, have a great deal more Reverence and Worship from us; and we ourselves expect a great deal more in the presence of our Inferiors.  
And yet that's God's express argument against us there, (but that we now adays are able to teach God better Logic) Go and do so to thy Prince now, and see if he will be content with thee, saith God, ver. 8. Worship not when thou comest in to Him, beg any thing of Him not on thy knee, bow not down in honour of Him; but be jackfellow, sit still, or be covered, when He hath aught to do with thee, and will He accept thee? And yet, I am the greatest King of all, saith the Lord of Hosts, there in that Chapter.  
But at this we snuff, and cry, Ecce Labour! oh, here's a do indeed for Uncovering, and Standing, and Kneeling, and Bowing; but what reason is there, we should be put to so much inconvenience and weariness in serving God, who as himself is a Spirit, so he requires but to be worshipped in Spirit and truth, and he knows our hearts well enough? And was not that the very exception then of the jews also? But ye have said, It is a weariness; ECCE LABOUR! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of Hosts, ver. 13. And then what's the Conclusion? Therefore my name is, and shall be fearful among the Heathen, saith he, at the 14 verse God upbraids and threatens them with the Heathen their neighbours, whose Idolatrous Religion expressed more fear of a God though, then theirs. And upbraided as well may we be, and threatened too, with the Erroneous Religions that neighbour about us; for they are far more careful to show the holy Signs of fear, than we: And by that (to say right) they now stand; the opinion, and affection, and devotion of the people (I speak by some experience) in liking of them, and loathing of ours, being by no one thing so much carried with them, as 'tis by the outward Worship and Reverence.  
I should then but wrong our Nation of old, when they first became English, should I not make this a note of the excellent Spirit which then possessed them, that as they lost (almost) all words of their own language to signify this passion of the mind which we mean by Fear, so they borrowed none from other languages, but only this word Fear; and that they brought from the Latin Vereri; to show, that at first their noble Affections knew no fear, but the fear of God, Filial and Reverential fear alone, such as God himself (we see) would have his Worship performed by, and our Religion expressed by.  
And if once we come to lose that in our Religion, our fear, we shall soon come to loose Religion and all, howe'er we sooth ourselves: For that's the way to hold even the right Religion also, S. Paul says flatly, Hebr. 12.28. Wherefore, having received such a kingdom, (the Gospel he means of jesus Christ; other kingdom we have received none) let us hold the grace fast. True, that's good counsel; but how shall we do that? How shall we hold it? It follows, In serving him acceptably to his mind. And how that? With Reverence (saith he) and holy fear.  
And wiser then thus whoever thinks himself, let him go try it with David, that thinks him not so: For, Holy and Reverend is God's Name, saith he; and then such a fear as this, such as performs a holy Reverence to him, and to his blessed Name, that's the fear of the Lord, and the beginning of Wisdom, Psal. 111.10. and, A good understanding have all they that do thereafter. They only Understand aright, what Religion, and Holiness, and the true Fear of the Lord is, that without all hypocrisy have it truly within in their hearts, and without all profane contempt Express it also duly in the outward worship of him.  

Hominibus; in Genere.  ANd thus make we the Expression of our fear of God, to God himself. But yet other Expressions there are of the same to Man. In General first; The Commerce that passes between us and others, the justice and Righteousness, the Mercy and Charity, the Truth and Honesty, which we show towards all men, these are as Broad Seals to prove it to them, and the Letters Patents that testify it, and justify us in our fear of God.  
That unrighteous judge, that feared not God, but righted the poor widow only to avoid trouble, yet he in denying to do it for any fear of God or Man, even by that confessed, that the chiefest thing, which should have moved him to it, was the fear of God, Luk. 18.4. And whence was it, that Abraham could look for no better than murder and rape among the Philistines, that they would kill him, and force his wife, but because he thought, Surely the fear of God was not in that place? Gen. 20.11. But joseph on the other side, aiming to satisfy his brethren's mind, and to make them not doubt of fair and honest dealing at his hand, makes that the Reason and Assurance of it, This do, and live, saith he, for I also fear God, Gen. 42.18.  
And in this regard, it is worth the observing, that when God was pleased to take the Devils own verdict concerning jobs fearing God, how e'er job was excellent at both Expressions, at the acts of Religion, in his holy and daily Worshipping of God; & the acts of Honesty, in his upright Dealing with all men; yet God questions the Devil, not of the former, his Religious fearing him, but only of the other, his Righteous fearing of him; Hast thou not considered my Servant job, that there is none like him upon earth, in the fearing of God? job 1.8. But how was that to appear to Satan? He says not, For he Prays thus much, he Preaches thus often, he Sacrifices daily, he Professes continually, all which might well have been said of him; but, For he is an upright and just man, and eschews wrong and evil, says God: Signs able to convince the Devil himself, who not daring upon those Proofs to deny it, only sought to blemish it with a slander of sinister respects; Timet, sed an gratis? 'tis true, job fears God, I see by that, but does he fear God for nought? at the 9 verse.  
The point is so clear (say some talkers amongst us what they will) that I shall but wrong you to illustrate it. I shall better conclude it with this advertisement, That these two Expressions of our Fear, to God by our Holiness, and to Man by our Righteousness, they must never be confounded, nor the Relations misplaced. How e'er by our Worship of God, men may well hope of our fearing of him, and by our Uprightness with men, God takes notice, how well we do fear him; yet we mistake it foully, if we think we may spare one of them, and that either Expression may well enough serve Both.  
It was but vainly done therefore of the proud-holy Pharisee, to tell God, by his not being like the Publican, that he was no extortioner nor unjust, nor adulterer; and by his often fasting, that he was no Glutton; and by his faithful tith-paying, that he was no Churchrobber: but in the mean while to stand upon his terms with God; In trust to his own Righteousness, to stand up, as though he challenged God, and to pray with himself 
* Luk. 18.11.  (says the Text) as though he scorned to do any more for God, and to let him know what He was, as though God were beholding to him; And if such as that would serve God, So; But otherwise (in the pride of his heart) to Express no reverence, nor worship, no fear of God at all in his presence.  
And ev'ry whit as vain is the other Pharisaical trick, that's now become the sign of a Saint among many of us, little to regard that, which our 
* Matt. 23.23.  Saviour calls the Weightier matters of the Law; judgement, and Mercy, and Fidelity, (he means conscientious Honesty, such as is regulated by the glorious Law written in our hearts, and not by the outward Law of Westminster-Hal, or of a Bishop's Consistory) but to make no bones of it, to burst (in private) with envy and malice, with hatred and all uncharitableness, to backbite and slander, to cross and hinder, to censure and condemn, to wallow also in oppression and usury, in falsehood and wrong, in lust and uncleanness, in pride and hypocrisy, in contempt and disobedience, in schism and faction, both Ecclesiastical and Civil: And yet notwithstanding all this, to make full account, that our running to Church, and crying out for Sermons, our defying the Devil, and railing against Antichrist, our pretending of Conscience and finding fault with the State and Times, our singing of Psalms, and talking of Scripture, our casting up of the Eye, and making of sour Faces, must be proof enough to any man, that we fear God extraordinarily.  
Alas, no; 'tis a Catholic rule, that which S. james gives for our Faith; and it equally extends to all our Affections; james 2.18. Show me thy faith by thy works, and thy Hope by thy Works, & thy Love by thy Works, and thy fear by thy Works. In secret ('tis true) God sees them, before, and without thy works; but if thou wouldst have me see them, and glorify God in them, or edify myself by them, thou must show them to me, that way or none, by thy works. And what works? Not of Godliness and Devotions, not by the fair but bare show of Holiness, (No, we esteem highly of that, of all holy carriage; but viderit Deus, we leave God to judge of it, because the heart of man is so deceitful, that the Ministers of Satan can in that 
2. Cor. 11.14.  transform themselves into Angels of light) but by Mercy and Charity, by Piety and Equity, and such other humane Duties: of such works, expressly the Apostle was there treating, and by them thou must show to men, and let them judge, whether thou fearest God or no.  
OR if that be too much, 
Speciatim, in Timore Regis.  for the Demonstration of our Fearing of God, to exact all the duties between Man and Man, then in stead of them all, (at leastwise by way of Collection for them all) take we but God's way here, Express we the one by another that's next to it, the fear of God by the fear of the King. The Text (you see) joins them so close, that it makes but one and the same Act for two Objects, God and the King two Persons, but conjoined in one Act of our Fear, both made one in that, Fear God, my son, and the King; To make us know, that what holy pretences so e'er are made for it, yet God is not feared, if the King be not; the want of Performance in the one, implies Imperfection in the other, and the want of Truth in the one, avouches Hypocrisy in the other: No King's fear, no Gods fear; God himself of purpose hath here joined them together, and 'tis to make God a liar, a man's self Sacrilegious, if any dare take either from other, or put them asunder.  
And the reason of it is impregnably good, or else the blessed Spirit in S. john was but a poor Logician. For did you ever mark it, how he enforces the absolute necessity of brotherly love among us? He hath two Arguments together for it; 1. joh. 4. If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; For how can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, love God whom he hath not seen? verse 20. That's the first, and it is a Topick rule that; particularly applied by him upon this ground, because of the general Image of God, which is upon a man's brother; He sees not him, but he sees God's Image in him, and God he sees not, but in some Image of him; and the livelyest Image of God is in his brother; Et ergò, In very good reason then, How can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, love God, whom he hath not seen? No, he cannot; the Question [How can he] is but to make the Negation more vehement; it is a thing impossible in very Reason.  
The other Argument of S. john is ab Authoritate, a sufficient Reason that in itself, that we are commanded it; but yet it is steeled with the temper of another Topick rule also, because Where one thing is ordained to be with another, there the one is not as it should be without the other. Now this commandment have we of him, saith he. What? That we should love our brother? No, that's not enough; But that he which loveth God should love his brother also; verse 21. That's the Second.  
Carry then now but these two Arguments in mind, and conclude who will for my Text and the King, and the Spirit here will warrant him: But reply or deny who can, for the Spirit will confound him. As good as those Arguments are in S. john for his purpose, for the love of our brother, I dare boldly say it, (and let me forfeit my Arts and judgement too, if I make it not appear to any honest man's conscience) that they are far more pregnant here both for our purpose, for the fear of the King.  
I begin with the first, and I apply it expressly; If any man say, I fear God, and feareth not the King, he is a liar (And Lord! what an holy army of liars might we then quickly muster up?) But what's the Reason? For, How can he? that is, It is impossible for him that feareth not the King whom he hath seen, to fear God, whom he hath not seen. And why so? How follows that? From the very same ground as before, Because of the Image of God which is upon Kings, and that, not only a General Image, as they are Men; but a Peculiar Image, and that (by far) more visible, as they are Kings; yea the Image of that in God, for which fear belongs to God, that Image upon the King, the lively Image of his Divine Power, and Glory both.  
Power first; Whether Power to do good, and therefore Fear him, For with whom is Mercy, therefore shall he be feared, Psal. 130.4. Or Power to do hurt, and therefore fear him, For he beareth not the sword in vain, Rom. 13.4.  
And then Glory; The Glory of his Divine Titles: For King and Governor, Lord and Father, Majesty and Sovereignty, Mr. Calvin himself confesses, that they are first and principally Gods Titles, 
Institut. l. 4. cap. 20.  and not Man's; and that they are so imparted from God to Kings, as his Deputies and Vicegerents; that where e'er on earth we meet with them, they ought presently to affect us with an awful sense of the very Divinity itself. Yea, (for that very purpose) the Glory of his own Name upon them: Dixi, Dii estis, Psal. 82.6. I have said, ye are Gods; I have said it, God himself, 'tis He that said it; and Dixi, it is his Decree and Sacred Pleasure, he hath Ordained, it shall be so.  
And from this Ordinance of his, the Scriptures have oft expressed it so. jacob of old said it (and of one, that was otherwise bad enough) of his Lord Esau, That he saw God in him, Vidi faciem, ut faciem Dei, Gen. 33.10. that is, says the Chaldee, God in the Prince, God in him, as he was the Prince. And 'tis said of Moses so, The very Sceptre he held, was Gods, not his own, Virga Dei in manu, Exod. 17.9. and so it is said of Solomon, The Throne he sat on, was the Throne of GOD: Sedebat super Throno Dei, 1. Chron. 29.23. And so the Argument proves invincible; Kings bearing both so apparent and so eminent an Image of God, the very Image of that eminence in God, for which God is feared; How can he, that feareth not the King, whom visibly he hath seen, or may see, fear God, who never was, nor is (and I may safely add) who, without this other the fear of the King, never shall, nor will be visible to him?  
You see the main improovement of S. john's first Argument. And 'tis as easy to do the same in the second. Now this Commandment have we of him, that he which loveth God, should love his brother also. Is that a good and a concluding Consequence? And is not this as good then? This Commandment have we of Him, that he which feareth God should fear the King also. And for proof of this, I come but to my Text, It is a Commandment from Him, from God himself principally, though given here by Solomon's pen, Fear GOD, my son, and the KING.  
And if you require a New Commandment for it, that is, a Commandment in the Gospel (as Christ indeed calls the precept of Loving one another a New Commandment, joh. 13.34.) then I go but to the great Apostle for it, Fear God, Honour the King, 1. Pet. 2.17. And then I add, that by this very Argument now, the Duty of fear is far more clearly proved here, then there in S. john that Duty of Love is; For this here is set down in terminis (you see) we have the places, this of my Text, and that of S. Peter; both of them formal Commands, and in plain Logical terms, both equally concluding for the fear of God and the King: And so have we not for the Love of God and our Brother; No place to be found, (I speak advisedly) in so Express, so Distinct, and so Mandatorie a Proposition, for those two together, in all the Scripture.  
But I foresee already what the issue of this will be. It is but a spice of Court-flattery in us, or else all this labour might well be spared. For who denies, but the King must be feared? Will not Bellarmine, or junius Brutus grant that? I know they will, and yet when they have done, I will kon them small thanks for it. For how do they do it? Dolosus ambulat in generalibus, That's their craft, the treacherous jesuit in that Church, and the factious Schismatic in ours; in General terms indeed, they stick not aloud to profess this Doctrine, talk of it in gross, and who half so holy in Conscience as they, or so loyal in Duty of fearing the King?  
But yet bring it once down to a present instance, and lay it (as occasion shall arise) to particular Cases and Actions, and then (you shall find) the case is altered with them; Duty and Conscience then (for sooth) against it, when they like not the business. As the Spirit in my Text (of purpose surely) has most aptly described them, Fear God, and the King, and meddle not with them that be Seditious; So we bluntly read it in many of our Translations, & 'tis true that; but yet perhaps 'tis somewhat too course for their hypocritical pretences, They are godly men, and good Subjects, and defy Sedition:  
Therefore the Original meets pat with them, Non cum Mutantibus, or Recedentibus, Meddle not with those that are given to change, not with those that alter, or go backward; And these are they now, that when it comes to that, from their general Profession to some particular Performance, are notable changelings, they alter then, and falter too; backward they go, and fall away slyly from their Profession, and from their Duty; from the King, and from the due fear of him: Nay from the very Text itself indeed, they alter That in the end, and take it backward; not They fear the King then, but The King fear Them, if they may do it; and so all at last becomes changed and altered with them, from No fear at first, to No King, ere they have done; and from None that does fear, to None to be feared.  
And when that is brought about once, I can tell them what will be next also. For stay there they will not neither, but still they will fall back, as far as the Text has any room; from no King, to no God, and from no fear of the one, to no fear of the other, to no fear at all of any. Moses he plainly tells them so, Non contra nos, sed contra jehovam, when the Israelites murmured against him and Aaron, Exod. 16.8. Your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord. And the Lord himself said it as plainly to Samuel, Non Te, sed Me, when they would needs have another King in his stead, 1. Sam. 8.7. They have not cast Thee away, but they have cast Me away. And so Non Regem, sed Deum, must I say to these, that now by not fearing the King as they should do, do as much as they can to Vnking him again, It is not the King, but God, whom they principally fail; For there is not the least contempt of Majesty, but is more than a spice of Profanation; and ev'ry step of Disloyalty is a high degree to Atheism.  
And in how high a degree then this danger of Atheism now a days rangeth, this Text of mine (in my eye) does clearly demonstrate. It showed us before, that the Fear of the Lord requires the Worship of him, and that the due worship of him requires so much Beauty and Reverence, that all our saucy and careless demeanour before him, all negligent and perfunctory performance of our Religion, all slight and unawful Expressions in it, as in God's presence, are the foulest Scorn and Abasement that may be; Vngodding him no less in true construction, then does rash and unadvised blasphemy.  
It shows us now, that next after himself, our God provides for Kings as for himself, Sets his eminent Image upon them, sets them in his own stead, sets but one rule of Conscience for the fear of them both, both himself, and them: In a word, sets so much by them, whom he sets over us, that for us now not to be abundantly Right towards them, is to be extremely Wrong towards God; to fail the one, is to be false to the other; to defraud the one, is to defy the other.  
Take me now but a man of understanding among the very Heathen, (for still I drive at that, to convince it from the evidence of Reason itself) and let him see First, That howe'er these Duties of fearing God and King are charged upon us, not so much by any written Law, as by a Law within us also, by the Rule of Reason, and the Divine Law of Conscience; yet many of the Great Professors of this Religion, they that take upon themselves above others, to be this God's chiefest Sons and Servants, and to have the best Consciences by far; yet for all this, they stumble and make a doubt of performing such a reasonable and seemly worship to their God; and as for their King, they not only stand in great suspense, but dispute it also fiercely, whether (for all his Vicinity to God) he can of Right be invested with so Divine a Privilege.  
Secondly, That in this fond uncertainty of theirs, they do not look, In quam partem tutiùs peccetur, and in wisdom venture most upon that which is safest; but for Conscience sake (for sooth) ever incline to the more dangerous part, & out of a singular Devotion still cleave fast to the worst; choosing, rather than afford their God or King an inch (perhaps) too much, to tedder them both stiffly at (sure) an ell too little:  
Lastly, That in this preposterous course, they have purposely so enured their thoughts, and hammered their Consciences to it, as that now they count it a shrewd wrong to be but told what's right; & if any man dare be so true to God and King, as to show them the Duty of better Devotion, they besmear him presently with a coal of dangerous Superstition; if of better Allegiance, they brand him sound with the slander of ambitious Flattery; & by all means they reckon them, that stand least upon points with God in worshipping of Him, the godliest men and the best Christians; but them, that stand most upon points with the King against obeying of Him, the best Subjects, or (as now it goes currant in their own coin) good Patriots.  
And now let this Pagan but say, what he thinks of a God that must thus be used, either in Himself, or in his Vicegerents; and what difference he can find in Reason, between such a Religion, as they by this means make of it (and his own, I will not say, for the very Heathen in their abominations carry themselves more Conscientiously; But between such a Religion) and a down right Fable.  
And if this be not a good Consequence, go blame S. Paul, that taught me this kind of Argument, and that in a point of Religion too, but of much less importance; For the whole Church (saith he) when they come together but to speak in unknown tongues, he may not abide it. And why? Because 'tis so dissonant from Reason, a Confusion so unnatural, that if but a Heathen man come in, may he not well account it a mad Religion? Shall he not justly say, that they are all out of their wits? 1. Cor. 14.23.  
And how much more then, say I, if a Heathen man come among our Religious ones, and find such a hideous and uncouth Dissonancy? Our Profession indeed to be, towards God, a Duty of fear and holy Worship; towards Kings, a Duty of fear and sacred Obedience; towards both, a joint Duty, not from Policy, or Reason, or Nature alone (though ev'ry one of these laws enforce it mightily) but from Conscience also, and divine Law, and the very Principles of Religion: But yet our whole Practice notwithstanding to be, to God, heedless and unreverent, an arbitrary and fanciful, a rude and saucy slubbering of his worship; To Kings, a contemptuous and faithless, a quarrelsome and graceless, a repining and heartless curtalling of the Honour's due to them: And may he not well take it for a mad fabulous Religion? shall he not justly say, Non est Deus, A God upon these cross and beggarly terms cannot be a God?  
Wherefore my hearts desire, and humble prayer to God is, that he would open our eyes (as we are, or should be Christians of ripe understanding) to see this; and that we, who are ready enough, out of the former part of the Text, touching the fear of God, to charge our neighbours about us, with the danger of Idolatry, in their manner of Divine worshippings, would make some Conscience to quit ourselves as readily, in this part of the Text, touching the fear of the King, from no less a crime, than Idolatry is, in our manner of wilful Refusing. For the Spirit of God (we see) is express about it, 1. Sam. 15.23. That, as to Obey is better than Sacrifice, a better sign of our Religion, and to God far more acceptable; so, to be Disobedient and Unquiet, Nolle acquiescere, says the Text there, to be whining and excepting, kicking and wincing at the sacred Commands of Authority over us (what e'er we deem of it, or how e'er we please ourselves in it, and, like those grand Mistakers, 
joh. 16.2.  think we do God good service by it) yet 'tis as bad in Gods own construction, as Sorcery and Idolatry too: And nothing more than this Sorcery and Idolatry (I fear me) it is, that of late hath so much troubled our Israel, and made the days of many so short in the Land which the Lord our God hath given us.  

Sub conditione Filii.  Sure I am, it is a perfect and unhalting Obedience to the Powers above us, that must cause our days to be good and long in the Land; or else God himself misplaced it, when he made that, as 
* Ephes. 6.2.  S. Paul also purposely observes, the first Commandment with such a Promise (a Promise, that which of us all does not desire to have? and yet generally how many, as though they did not believe God in it, or thought to have it whether God will or no, do ne'er regard to take his way for it? the Promise of Long life and Welfare) bound strictly to it.  
And, as sure I am, 'tis such an Obedience, that particularly the Spirit here aims at, or else he would ne'er have spoken unto us, in the dearest language of Love, as unto Sons, Fear God, my Son, and the King. For that's as much as to say, Unless indeed you care not to be my Sons, unless you will be Bastards, and not Sons, Slaves and Rebels, and any thing but Sons, you will fear God and the King alike; not God alone, but therefore the King also; God for himself, and the King for God; esteeming God and King (both) as your Fathers, and accounting yourselves as Sons to both: not as Servants, only of Necessity, nor as Friends alone, of mere Courtesy; but as Sons, of entire Duty.  
Yea, as One Son All, together; My Son, says God here to All; One and All, for none is excused; All as One, for none is excluded; To show us, that it must be a joint and mutual Consent, of All in One; One, in the Bent of our heart and affections, Therefore Fili mi, says he, and not Filii mei, my Son, as of One, not my Sons, as of Many. One, in the ●enor of the Duty performed, Therefore not twice TIME, not two fears, one for God, and another for the King, Fear God, and fear the King; but once only for both, Fear God and the King. And lastly, One, in the very Ground of the Relation; and therefore fili Mi, not fili Noster, My Son, not Our Son, that is, Son to the King, because Son to God, and no otherwise then as God's Son, so the King's Son; but So, All as One Son; and One Son All, to Both of them as to One; even another sacred mystery of Numbers in our Religion (beside that of the blessed Trinity and Unity) thus divinely couched here in this short Text, Fear God, my Son, and the King.  
And in this sacred Conjunction of all Parties, I may best conclude; In the name of God exhorting ev'ry one of us that rejoice in this Title of being God's Son, to remember, First, that Time Deum stands here before Fili mi, the Duty is enforced, before the Privilege will be allowed: We are apt to forget ourselves, (God knows) and because of Filius, in pride of our Privilege, we oft neglect Time, and make small or no regard of our Duty. But Time Fili, that's God's method and order here, it is that Relation to him, which makes him retain the name of Father to us, and without a due fear of him (flatter ourselves how we will upon our Election or Predestination) we have no true Sonship with him.  
Secondly, that for a trial of that, whether our Time Deum be right or no, here's another coupled with it, Et Regem, to prove ourselves by, Fear God and the King; that is, fear God in the King, fear God by the King, send our fear to the King of Heaven by our fear to Kings on Earth: Fili mi is out of place, unless it stand even in the middle between Deum and Regem: to presume we fear God, and yet to go no further, to make no Conscience of fearing Him, that is in God's stead, or to fear him no further, than the lash of his Laws will reach us; it comes not from Filius that, and 'tis but a lame and base fear, partly slavish, partly hypocritical, a great deal short both of God's Due, and of a Son's Duty.  
Much less shall we find any place for Time Regem alone, and leave Deum quite out, to begin the Text there, at the fear of the King, but no fear of God at all; or if any, yet but heartless and worthless, only for fear of the King. No, without Deum (you see) the Text has ne'er a Time here for Regem; no right fear of the King, if God be not first feared. He that fears God but for fear of the King and his Laws, in truth makes the King his God; and he that fears the King more than God, in heart wishes there were neither King nor God.  
So that in the Conclusion, these two, our Time Deum, which is our Religion, and our Time Regem, which is our Allegiance, they are sure and perfect Proofs both, either to, either of other. Look what e'er is pretended for the King, yet it is Fraud not Fear, Craft not Allegiance, plain Brokage, and not Obedience, unless it first issue from the Throne of Heaven, spring from true Devotion, and be founded upon Religion. Again, look what e'er is professed for God (as where have we not swarms now of great Professors?) yet it is not Fear, but Faction, not Devotion, but Hypocrisy, not Religion, but Abomination, unless it fall down before the Throne upon Earth also, be the life of spotless Allegiance, and the quickening Soul of all Civil obedience.  
The Text imports no less, and God enjoins no less, and no less can I charge the Consciences of all that this day hear me with, but TIME DEUM, FILI MI, ET REGEM, Fear GOD, my Son, and the KING; God and the King, both together; show a due fear of them Both, but yet both in that Order: That so approving ourselves respectively to God and King, as Sons to both, ingenuous Sons, here in the life of Grace; our Fear at last may be changed into joy, and our Devotion into Fruition, and We be made not Sons alone, but Kings also with GOD, in the life of Glory, by the Merits of the SON of GOD, the KING of eternal Glory, JESUS CHRIST our Saviour:  
To Whom with the FATHER, and the Blessed SPIRIT, be all Honour and Glory, now and for ever. AMEN.