Jeremiah 32:40

(Verse 40) And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, and I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. For He made an everlasting covenant with us and will not cease to show us kindness. And what follows: 'And I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall not depart from me,' (Jeremiah 32:40) He grants free will to choose, yet the fear that is given remains as a grace from the giver.

Because perseverance is much more difficult when the persecutor is engaged in preventing a man's perseverance; and therefore he is sustained in his perseverance unto death. Hence it is more difficult to have the former perseverance, easier to have the latter; but to Him to whom nothing is difficult it is easy to give both. For God has promised this, saying, "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me." And what else is this than, "Such and so great shall be my fear that I will put into their hearts that they will perseveringly cleave to me"?...When, therefore, God's hand is upon Him, that we depart not from God, assuredly God's work reaches to us (for this is God's hand); by which work of God we are caused to be abiding in Christ with God—not, as in Adam, departing from God. For "in Christ we have obtained a lot, being predestinated according to His purpose who worketh all things." This, therefore, is God's hand, not ours, that we depart not from God. That, I say, is His hand who said, "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they depart not from me."

For that very pride has so stopped the ears of their heart that they do not hear, "For what hast thou that thou hast not received?" They do not hear, "Without me ye can do nothing;" they do not hear, "Love is of God;" they do not hear, "God hath dealt the measure of faith;" they do not hear, "The Spirit breatheth where it will," and, "They who are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God;" they do not hear, "No one can come unto me, unless it were given him of my Father;" they do not hear what Esdras writes, "Blessed is the Lord of our fathers, who hath put into the heart of the king to glorify His house which is in Jerusalem;" they do not hear what the Lord says by Jeremiah, "And I will put my fear into their heart, that they depart not from me; and I will visit them to make them good;" and specially that word by Ezekiel the prophet, where God fully shows that He is induced by no good deservings of men to make them good, that is, obedient to His commands, but rather that He repays to them good for evil, by doing this for His own sake, and not for theirs.