Directions and persuasions to a sound conversion for prevention of that deceit and damnation…Directions and perswasions to a sound conversion for prevention of that deceit and damnation…

and when you are sanctified, it will prove a necessary servant of Love; to keep you in awe, and save you from temptations. But Love is the ruling affection in the sanctified; and fear is therefore necessary because of the present imperfection of Love, and because of the variety of temptations that here beset us: Think not therefore that you are savingly renewed, till God have your very hearts. When you do but believe and tremble, it is better then to be unbelieving, and stupid, and secure: but you are not true Christians till you believe and Love. We use to fly from that which we fear, and therefore do apprehend it to be evil to us. We avoid the presence and company of those that we are afraid of, but we draw nigh them that we love, and delight in their company. We Fear an Enemy: We Love a Friend: We Fear the Devil naturally; but we do not Love him: It is Love that is that Affection of the soul that entertaineth God as God, even as Good: though that Love must be accompanied with a filial fear, even a ⟨p. 369⟩dread and reverence of his Majesty and greatness, and a fear of displeasing him. If you should toil out your selves in Religious duties, with a heart that had rather forbear them, if you durst, you have not the hearts of Gods Children in your breasts. The Magistrate can frighten men to the Congregation and outward worship: You may lock a man in the Church, that had rather be away: And will any man think that this makes him acceptable to God? You may keep a Thief from stealing by prison and irons; but this makes him not accepted with God as a true man: You may cure a man of cursing, and swearing, and railing, and idle and ribald talking, even in a minute of an hour, by cutting of his tongue: but will God accept him ever the more as long as he hath a heart that would do it if he could? There's abundance of people at this day that are kept from abusing the Lords day, and from swearing, and stealing, yea and from laying hands on all about them that are godly, and this by the Law of man, and the fear of present punishment: And do you think that these are therefore innocent or acceptable with God? ⟨p. 370⟩By this account you may make the Devil a Saint, when he is chained up from doing mischief: You may as well say, that a Lyon is become a Lamb, when he is shut up in his Den: Or that a mastiff Dog is become harmless and gentle, when he is muzzled.

and when you are sanctified, it will prove a necessary servant of Love; to keep you in awe, and save you from temptations. But Love is the ruling affection in the sanctified; and fear is therefore necessary because of the present imperfection of Love, and because of the variety of temptations that here beset us: Think not therefore that you are savingly renewed, till God have your very hearts. When you do but believe and tremble, it is better then to be unbelieving, and stupid, and secure: but you are not true Christians till you believe and Love. We use to fly from that which we fear, and therefore do apprehend it to be evil to us. We avoid the presence and company of those that we are afraid of, but we draw nigh them that we love, and delight in their company. We Fear an Enemy: We Love a Friend: We Fear the Devil naturally; but we do not Love him: It is Love that is that Affection of the soul that entertaineth God as God, even as Good: though that Love must be accompanied with a filial fear, even a