such suggestion, the
design of the tempter is to drive sinners to despair, and thus drive
them away from Christ. If he avails to effect it, his end is gained;
for there is salvation in no other.

It is emphatically true of the despairing sinner, that he "cannot go
to Christ for life." All who go to him, believe him able and willing
to save. Devoid of this faith none can go to him. Therefore doth the
fear which precludes faith lead down to ruin.

II. Fear _which operates to explain away the law of God, hath the same
effect_.

This is sometimes the effect of fear. Those who believe that there is
a God, and that the holy scriptures are his word, cannot feel secure
while they consider themselves condemned by his law, and view
themselves as the objects of his wrath.

Therefore do the slaves of depravity endeavor to explain away God's
law--therefore to persuade themselves that certain duties are not
required--that certain self denials are not enjoined; or that there is
something in their particular case which exempts them from _this or
that_, which is required of others.

The cunning which some discover in finding out excuses and evasions,
by which to cheat themselves and silence their consciences, is
affecting. It shews them to be the slaves of Satan, and servants of
corruption, and that they love their masters, and refuse to go out
free, when liberty is offered.

When people of this description pretend to inquire what is their duty,
their real design is to evade the obligations of it. And they often
succeed to persuade themselves that they are free from the obligations
of it. But few others are deceived. The veil of the covering spread
over their designs and views, is opaque only to themselves; to others
it is transparent, and leaves them without excuse.

Frequent instances of this unfairness are visible in the world. When
people make themselves easy and secure, without faith which works by
love and purifies the heart--without repentance which mourns for sin
as dishonorable to God, and in itself an evil thing, and a bitter, and
without devotedness to the service of God, as well as a reliance on
his grace in Christ, no matter what they substitute in the place of
these graces, all is of no avail; hope is built on the sand. That many
of these vain substitutes are to be found among men, Who is
insensible? When fear hath this effect, it leads down to the fiery
lake.

III. Sometimes _fear puts men upon duty in order t