Not that sinners are to neglect the means of grace, or indulge in sin. When God promised his church to give them a new heart, and cause them to walk in his statutes, he declared that those blessings should be given in answer to prayer--"Yet for this will I be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." And when the apostle teaches how to seek renewing grace, he directs to "lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness, the ingrafted word." Saving grace is perhaps, never given till it is asked of God. Sinners are made to see their need of this divine gift and led to cry to God for it. It is then when they ask that they receive. That they shall not ask in vain, is intimated with sufficient clearness in the word of truth. "Whosoever shalt call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved. If thou knewest the gift of God--_thou wouldest have asked of him_, and he would have given thee living water." Yet the sinner merits nothing by any doings of his. The true penitent is sensible of it. He relies on grace alone; and asks mercy of God for the sake of him "who died for his offences, and rose again for his justification." He seeks in the use of appointed means because it is the way of duty, and the way in which God is wont "to have mercy, on whom he will have mercy;" who are commonly chosen from among those who seek his face. As fear puts some on duty, it excites others to that which is not duty--puts them on doing things which are not required. Such are the pilgrimages and penances of the Romanists; and such the severities which some others have practised on themselves with a view to atone for sin and render Deity propitious. These have no tendency to conciliate heaven. A curse is more likely to follow them than a blessing; yet in this way some have thought to atone for sin and make peace with an offended God!* * Vide Sermon on Colossians ii. 8. IV. There is yet one other kind of fear which leads to destruction --that _which causes men to shrink from the hardships of religion_; and decline the difficulties which lie in the way of duty. Difficulties and temptations were not peculiar to the first ages of Christianity. St. Paul, after mentioning his own, declares them, in a measure, common to all Christ's followers--"Yea, and all who will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution." The trials and difficulties of the righteous are divers, but none escape them. Many arise from indwelling corruption--many from an insnaring world--many from Satan's malice and devices. In fallen man there is a bias to error and wickedness. Not to suffer his own lusts to draw him away, and entice him to sin, requires great self denial.