1'98 Perfect Love gives Boldnefs S E R rt. and the defcription of the text does not VIII. at all belong to it; it is a dutiful affehion to the deity, that reverence and honour we have, and ought to have for him as our gracious heavenly father, whereby we are inclined to keep all his commandments, and with the utmoft caution to avoid offending him; far from being cart out by perfect love, as incontinent with it, it is infeparable from it. The very objet of it is the divine goodnefs, as the prophet * Hofaa fpeaks, they Jhall fear the Lord and his goodnefs, and it hath no torment, but diffufes ferenity and joy thro' the foul. But the fear here fpoken of, and which love carts out, is the fervile dread of punifhment, the dif?raing terror of divine vengeance, that fearfulnefs which, as the prophet IJaiah fays, furprizes the hypo- crites, and wherewith unreformed finners are afraid; the language of which is, who can dwell with devouring flames and ever - lafling burnings? And tho' even this con- lideration is fet before impenitent finners very reafonably, if pollible, to alarm them and bring them to a ferious thoughtfulnefs about their condition, yet is it not a prin- ciple of itfelf fufficient to produce religious Hofça iii. S, virtue ;
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