Sermons upon Psalm CXXX, ver. 4 but there is forgiveness with thee, that thou…

The Filial Fear of God is an ingenuous voluntary Affection, flowing from Love, and freely exercised, and esteemed the Treasure of the Soul. Servile Fear, the Sequel of Guilt, is a judicial Impression from the sad Thoughts of the provoked Majesty of Heaven; and if the Offender could dissolve the Bands of Conscience, he would throw it off. Filial Fear is mixed with Joy, 'tis the Preservative ⟨p. 77⟩of God's Favour to us; it makes us more circumspect, but not less comfortable: it opposes Security, but establishes the Assurance of Faith: the Fear of the Lord, and Hope in his Mercy, are united Graces. Servile Fear has Torment, 'tis an Alarm within that disturbs the Rest of the Sinner; 'tis a fretting Fire that secretly torments him in his most luscious Fruitions. Filial Fear restrains from all Sin in the Heart and Life, because it dishonours and displeases God; it denies the carnal Appetites with Sweetness and Satisfaction to the Soul: it excites us to obey God with Choice and Complacency. Servile Fear induces an Abstinence from some Sins, which fly in the Face of Conscience, and which the Sinner loves, and urges to the outward Performance of Duties, which he hates. The slavish Spirit is afraid to burn, not to sin; he is fearful to be damned, not to displease God. Filial Fear is a serious and habitual Constitution of the Soul, inseparable from it in all Times and Places, 'tis influential into the whole Life. Servile Fear is a sudden Passion, and transient: sometimes a sharp Affliction, a piercing Sermon, awakens a secure Wretch into a ⟨p. 78⟩Fit of Terror. Filial Fear keeps the Soul close to God, makes it solicitous, lest any Sin should intercept the Light of his Countenance, and obstruct Communion with him, which is the Paradise of a Saint: 'tis the gracious Promise of God to his Children, I will put my Fear into their Hearts, and they shall never depart from me. Servile Fear makes the Sinner shy of God's Presence, and as unwilling to find him, as a Saint is to lose him: He is not pleased with Solitude, lest the guilty Conscience should have time of Recollection, and should look to the Judg above: He takes no Delight in the Society of the Saints, and the Enjoyment of the Ordinances, because God is peculiarly present there; and above all things he is afraid to die, because then the Spirit returns to God that gave it.

The Filial Fear of God is an ingenuous voluntary Affection, flowing from Love, and freely exercis'd, and esteem'd the Treasure of the Soul. Servile Fear, the Sequel of Guilt, is a judicial Impression from the sad Thoughts of the provoked Majesty of Heaven; and if the Offender could dissolve the Bands of Conscience, he would throw it off. Filial Fear is mix'd with Joy, 'tis the Preservative