en any gap in the conscience for the re entry of these hellish-like
fears and dreadful apprehensions of God. Certainly, it is impossible to
preserve the spirit in freedom if a man be not watchful against sin and
corruption. David prays, "re establish me with thy free Spirit," as if his
spirit had been abased, embondaged, and enthralled by the power of that
corruption. If you would have your spirits kept free from the fear of
wrath, study to keep them free from the power of sin, for that is but a
fruit of this, and it is most suitable that the soul that cares not to be
in bondage to sinful lusts, should, by the righteousness of God, tempered
with love and wisdom, be brought under the bondage he would not, that is,
of fear and terror, for by this means the Lord makes him know how evil the
first is, by the bitterness of the second.

It is usual on such a scripture as this, to propound many questions, and
debate many practical cases as, whether a soul after believing can be
under legal bondage, and wherein these differ, the bondage of a soul after
believing, and in its first conversion, and how far that bondage of fear
is preparatory to faith, and many such like. But I choose rather to hold
forth the simple and naked truth for your edification, than put you upon
to entertain you in such needless janglings and contentions. All I desire
to say to a soul in bondage, is, to exhort him to come to the Redeemer,
and to consider that his case calls and cries for a delivery. Come, I say,
and he shall find rest and liberty to his soul. All I would say to souls
delivered from this bondage, is, to request and beseech them to live in a
holy fear of sin, and jealousy over themselves, that so they may not be
readily brought under the bondage of the fear of wrath again. Perfect love
casts out the fear of hell, but perfect love brings in the fear of sin. Ye
that love the Lord, hate ill, and if ye hate it, ye will fear it in this
state of infirmity and weakness, wherein we are. And if at any time ye,
through negligence and carelessness of walking, lose the comfortable
evidence of the Father's love, and be reduced again to your old prison of
legal terror, do not despair for that, do not think that such a thing
could not befall a child of God, and from that ground do not raze former
foundations, for the scripture saith not, that whosoever believes once in
Christ, and receives the Spirit of adoption, cannot fear again; for we see
it otherwise in