l,ertainty. ofProm. confiftentwith the tile & endofThreatnings. C.Xl1. orfor the canfingûf them to Perfevere. And Laftly, 'tis every whit as evident, 293 thatfuchPromifeswhereby Godfhould affare thesaints ,that they fballnot Apo- ftatixe, but Perfevere, are upt andproper to render them uncapable ofallfeareof Eternal] Death, and confequently are apparentlyobilrullivcof anddeflruCfive un- to thenative tendency ofthe faidThreatnings towards, and about the Perfeverance ofthesaints; thef ihreatnings can doe nothing, contribute nothing towards the Perfeverance of theSaints, but by the mediation ofthe Feareofevill in them, upon their nonperfevering; therefore whatfoever hardens them againft thisfeare,or ren- ders them uncapeableof it, fuperfedes all the virtue and vigour which are to befound in t efe Threatnings, for or towards the effecting of their Perfeve- rance. Auf. Firft, be it granted that one end ofGod in his'threatnings,i.s to pre- ms. vent Apoflacy in the StS,by flirting them up to takecareful] heed to the wayes and meanswhereby they may perfevere, and that they nootherwife worke or caute Perfeverance, but as they fo ftirre upand provoke men to the things wherein they are to abide; But this is not their only end. Theyarealtodifco- veryes to all the worldofthefeverity ofGod againfl finite, and that it is his :udgement, that they who commit it are worthy ofdeath. Secondly, IfbyAbfolute Promifes ofFind/ Perfeverance, you intend fuck Promifes ofPerfeverance,in,and by the ufeofmeanes,inftituted and appoin- ted by God himfelfe for the accomplifhment ofthe end promifed, which are not madeor given,upon the Confideration ofany worth in them towhom they are made, nor dodepend as to their Accomplifhment,on any filch con- dition in them as in theevent and ifiue maynot be fulfilled, this obfervation alto is granted. You may adde alto, that Godwill certainely, effe&uaily and infallibly worke in them an abidingwith him to the end, or put his Law in their hearts that they£hall never departfrom him; Ifby infruirably allo, you in- tendonly that hewill fo worke it as that hisCounfell and Purpofe fhall not in the endbefruflratedor difappointed, wegrant that allo, for he bath laid his Counfellfhallflandand he will do all hispleafure. Thefe things being thus fuppofed, let ustry the inferences from them, that mull make good the former Affertion concerning the fruftration of the ufe ofComminations by them, for they are fingledout tobeare the weightof this charge. To the firfl Affumption then and Inference I fay, there is a twofold feareof eternall deathand definition. t. AnAnxious perplexing Feare in refpe& ofthe End it lelfe; 2. A Watchful! careful! Feare in refpe& ofthe meaner leading thereunto; Inrefpe& of thefirfl, it isutterly denyed, that the ufe and endoftheThreatnings o fGod,in refpe&ofhis Saints,are to ingenerate any fuchFeare in them, it being direly oppofed to that Faith, Affurance, Peace, BoldneffeConfolation, and Joy, that God is pleafed toafford to them and abundantly exhorts them to liveup unto; Yea an Anxiousabiding Feare ofHell, is fullycontrary to that very Conditionall Affurance of Salvation, which Mr Goodwinhinfelfe in refpe&of theirprefent Condition allowes to them; Nor bath theLord infiituted his Ordinancesat fuch adifference and Oppofition one to another , asthat at the fame time towards the fame per- fons, they fhould be effe&uall to beget oppofite and contrary frames and principles. For the other, or a Watchful!heedfullFeare for the avoiding ofthe way&meaner that would lead them,and do lead others to deflru&ion, that is not in the lead inconfiflent with any Affurance, that God is pleafed byhis Promifes to give tohis Saints oftheir Perfeverance. Godwill have them ex- pe& their Perfeverancein thewaywherein hebath promifedit; that is, by the ufeof fuchand fuch Meanes,helpes, and Advantages,ashe hath appointed for P p 3 the
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