like children in the presence of a good father

"Those who stand with their sins forgiven, and privileged to call God their Father, experience none of that craven fear which is cast out by love. Their fear is a dread of grieving the Father, of causing a breach, of being separated from their Maker. They are not like awkward schoolboys in the presence of a stern and unsympathetic master, afraid to do anything but study, and secretly longing for the pedagogue to go away that they might breathe freely again. They are like children in the presence of a good father, whit a wholesome far inspired by love, taking their troubles to Him, and living to have Him near; equally ready to work or play in His sight; and drawing closer in sympathy with Him, either in their labour or in their sport. It cannot be too strongly emphasized that men can never recommend themselves to God by humanly-devised exercises in asceticism. If we neglect His commands, it will be no excuse that we have kept some irksome rules of our own. If we eat forbidden fruit, it is useless to plead in extenuation that we have denied ourselves fruit that is not forbidden. And if--as its generally the case--the establishment of unwritten laws of repression simply results in harsh judgment and condemnation of others, such legislative labours are very much worse than useless. All experience tends to show that when men try to impose more stringent conditions than God has laid down, they are robbing the foundations of the building to give it a worthless piece of decoration."