The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32…

ANSWER.

I Have answered this already. Love will not be perfect in this life. In the life to come it will cast out all fear of damnation: and all fear that drives the soul from God, and all fear of men (which is meant in Rev. 21.8. where the fearful and unbelievers are condemned; that is, those that fear men more then God) And that 1 John 4.17, 18. speaketh of a Tormenting Fear, which is it that I am persuading you from, and consisteth in Terrors of soul upon an apprehension that God will condemn you; But it speaketh not of a filial fear, nor of a fear lest we should by forsaking God, or by yielding to Temptation, lose the Crown of Life, and so perish: as long as this is not a tormenting ⟨p. 440⟩fear, but a cautelous, preserving, preventing fear. Besides the Text plainly saith, It is that we may have boldness in the day of judgement, that Love casteth out this fear: And at that day of Judgement, Love will have more fully overcome it. It is a great mistake to think that Filial Fear is only the fear of temporal chastisement, and that all fear of Hell is slavish. Even Filial Fear is a Fear of Hell: But with this difference. A son (if he know himself to be a Son) hath such a persuasion of his Fathers Love to him, that he knows he will not cast him off, except he should be so vile as to renounce his Father; which he is moderately fearful or careful lest by Temptation he should be drawn to do, but not distrustfully fearful, as knowing the helps and mercies of his Father. But a slavish Fear is, when a man having no apprehensions of Gods love▪ or willingness to show him mercy, doth look that God should deal with him as a slave, and destroy him when ever he doth amiss. It is this slavish Tormenting fear which I spend all this writing against. But yet a great deal even of this slavish fear may be in those sons, that know not themselves to be sons.