Dat.ofPerfof Sts its ufefuInes to promoteGofpell-Obedience.C.X.§:9,to. muft blame themfelves,. and their owti wormewoòd Lufts, and not theDo- 223 &rive which they doe receives It is provided for them that feare God , and love theLord Jefus Chrift in fincerity, not for doggs, £wine, unbelievers ; we fhall not marvaile, ifthey trample on thispearle , and rend them that bring it, To fuch as thefe then, f fay, the Do&riveofthe Perfeverance oftheSaints,or the ftabilityorunchangeableneflèofthe LoveofGod unto Believers , andof theircontinuation inFaith and Obedience, is full ofexceeding effeetuall mo- tives andprovocations unto Holineffe, in all manner of Gofpell Obedience and holy converfation,exceedingly advantaging the foulesofmen in acourfe thereof; Now the influence it bath into the Obedienceof the Saints , floweth from it upon a twofold account. I. By removing all difcouragements whatfoever, that are apt either to 4, turne them afide from their Obedience, or to render their Obediencefervi/e, flavifh, or unacceptable toGod: it fetts them( throughChrift ) at perfeet li- berty thereunto. 2. By putting unconquerableand indiffolubleObligations upon them, to liveunto God, and the praife of hisglorious.Grace, and evidently drawes them forth unto theObedience require I. It removeth and taketh out of t o way all difcouragements whatfoe- ver, all things which are apt to enterpofe to the weakning of their Faith in God, or their Love to God, which, as bathbeen faid , are at the bottome of all Obedience and Holineffe, that is acceptable toGod in Chrift; Now thefe may all be referred unto twoheads. r. Ofperplexinganxiousfears, which are apt to impaire and weaken the § in; Faithof theSaints. 2. Of hard thoughts ofGod , which affault arid fhake their Love. That flavifh, perplexing, troublefome fearer, are contrary to the free and ingenuous RateofChildren,whereunto theSaintsare admitted, and (however fometimes, yea oftentimes,they are at the bottome; and theoccafi- on ofburthenfome,,fervile, and fuperftitious Obedience) Impairers of their Faith, I fuppofe, I neednot labour to prove. That kindofFeare whereof we fpeake, (ofwhich more afterwards) isthe greateft Traytor, that lurkes in the foule; Tofeare theLordand his Goodnefle, is the foules Keeper;but thisfervile Hof 3 S perplexing feare,is the Betrayerofit, in all ifs waies,and that which fowres all its duties;, A thing which the Lord fets himfelfe againft, in rebukes,reproofes, dehortations, as much as any failing and rnifcartiage in his Saints whatever. It is theoppofite ofFaith ;.hence the fearefill antunbelieving are put toge- ther in their exclufonfrom thenew 7erufalem. Rev `2o. 8. it is °that, which is dire& contrary to that, which the Apoftle advifeth theSaints unto , Heb: ro: 19,20,21,22 it isthatwhich mixeth Faith with iaggering, Rom: 4. 20. Prayer, withwavering, making it ineffeetuall: Lames . Let us now fuppofea man to have attained Tome affurance ofthe Loveo? God, and 7ufliftedbyFaith, tohave Peace withhim,(which, as to his prefent rtotois,tf condition, the Adverfaries of the Doctrine of Perfeverance acknowledge that he may attaine, though, how, upoti their principles, I ùnderftand not ) confider a little, howhe can fafegard his Peace for a moment, and deliver himfelfe from perplexing thoughts and feares, renouncing any intereft in the ingagement ofthe Love and Faithfulneflè ofGod,for his prefervation.He may fay within.himfelfe, I am for the prefent in fome good Rate and conditi- on, but werenot 'the Angels fo, that are now Devills in Hell ? weise not they in a farrebetter, and more excellent frate, then I am ? and yet they are now Phut up under chaînes of everlafiingdarhneffe, to the judgment ofthe great day Adam in Paradife had no luft within him 'to tempt and feduce him,no World under the curfe to intangle andprovoke him, and yet being in that honour, he H h had
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