Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

1. By possessing the Soul with a lively and solemn Sense of Gods Presence, who is the Inspector and Judge of all our Actions. Joseph repelled the Temptation with this powerful Thought, How shall I sin against God? The fear of the Lord is clean, 'tis a watchful Sentinel, that resists Temptations without, and suppresses Corruptions within: 'Tis like the Cherubim placed with a flaming Sword in Paradise, to prevent the Re-entry of Adam when guilty and polluted. For this end we must, by frequent and serious Considerations, represent the Divine Being and Glory in our Minds, that there may be a gracious Constitution of Soul; this will be our Preservative from Sin: for although the habitual thoughts of God are not always in act, yet upon a Temptation they are presently excited, and appear in the view of Conscience, and are effectual to make us reject the Tempter with Defiance and Indignation.

1. By possessing the Soul with a lively and solemn Sense of Gods Presence, who is the Inspector and Judge of all our Actions. Joseph repell'd the Temptation with this powerful Thought, How shall I sin against God? The fear of the Lord is clean, 'tis a watchful Sentinel, that resists Temptations without, and suppresses Corruptions within: 'Tis like the Cherubim plac'd with a flaming Sword in Paradise, to prevent the Re-entry of Adam when guilty and polluted. For this end we must, by frequent and serious Considerations, represent the Divine Being and Glory in our Minds, that there may be a gracious Constitution of Soul; this will be our Preservative from Sin: for although the habitual thoughts of God are not always in act, yet upon a Temptation they are presently excited, and appear in the view of Conscience, and are effectual to make us reject the Tempter with Defiance and Indignation.

This holy Fear is not a mere judicial Impression, that restrains from Sin, for the dreadful Punishment that follows; for that servile affection, though it may stop a Temptation, and hinder the Eruption of a Lust into the gross act, yet it does not renew the Nature, and make us Holy and Heavenly. There may be a respective dislike of Sin with a direct affection to it. Besides, a mere servile Fear is repugnant to Nature, and will be expelled if possible. Therefore, that we may be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, we must regard him in his endearing Attributes, his Love, his Goodness and Compassion, his rewarding Mercy; and this will produce a filial Fear of Reverence and Caution, lest we should offend so gracious a God. As the natural Life is preserved by grateful Food, not by Aloes and Wormwood which are useful Medicines; so the Spiritual Life is maintained by the comfortable Apprehensions of God, as the Rewarder of our Fidelity in all our Trials.