Truly is it said, that such fear hath torment; for of all the uneasiness which the mind can suffer here, the most painful is that, which is produced from an apprehension of “the terrors of the Lord;” better not to have known the greatness of the salvation promised, than to neglect the means of securing it; better not to have heard of an hereafter, than to have a reasonable dread upon the spirits, what that hereafter shall be. They who have greater cause for fear than for hope, must, if they are given to meditate and look forward, find it cast a dismal shade over every scene and prospect of life; they may contrive to drown their serious thoughts, in the midst of worldly pursuits and intemperate pleasures; but this is only for the passing hour; they cannot possibly think, that their condition is thus really improved. But why take so much pains to mitigate or conceal a misery, which it is in our power, by God’s gracious mercy, effectually to prevent? Escape from these torments of the conscience by a sincere devotedness to the service of your Almighty Father, in the gospel of His beloved Son; by cherishing in the heart that “perfect love for Him, which casteth out fear.” Yet is this possible, it may be said, for weak and imperfect man? Is it not rather a state at which we should aim, than one at which we can ever hope to arrive? Certainly the imperfect creature can never attain to actual perfection in any moral or spiritual duty; but his will and desire may be perfect, though his service is not; and in this sense, the duty of perfect love is equally binding upon all believers. It is a very common persuasion, and dangerous as it is common, that the standard of christian duty is raised much higher in the gospel, than it is necessary for the generality of Christians even to think of reaching; that some of the commands, there given, are intended only for the chosen few, more eminent than the rest of mankind in spiritual attainments; and thus too many professing disciples of our Lord, imagining themselves not bound by such extensive obligations, are content with measures of obedience, infinitely less than those, which are positively required; content with a state of heart and life, far short of that, which the gospel recognises and injoins. But this is a mere delusion, to suit the wayward fancy and the corrupt inclination of man: where do we read in the Bible of such limitations and exceptions? Where do we find one set of rules for eminent Christians, and another for Christians in general? Are not all its precepts, and all its principles, and all its instructions, of universal obligation? When the Saviour promised His divine blessings to “the poor in spirit,” to them that “hunger and thirst after righteousness,” to “the pure in heart;” were the conditions intended only for the disciples around Him on the mount? Were they not also designed for His followers in every age? And when the Lord commanded Moses to