C.X[l. ConffténcyofProm. ofPerf & Threatnings againft Apoflafy, 296 denteof the concernementoftrueBelievers in the threatnirigs made toApo- flacy, than what can be drawnefrom the placesmentioned, I dare undertake that Mr Goodwin {hall never prove any fuch concernement of' theirs therein, whilft his eyes are open; but about this I fhall not at prefent con- tend. Thirdlyhe tells us; That theend andaime ofGod in thefe threatnings is the good ofBelievers; Ofwhichasfarreas they are concerned in them,I much leffe doubt, than I doof the cleareneffe ofthe proofeofthis Aflèrtion, from rfal. 85.8. Iwill bare what God theLord willfpeake, for he willfpeake peace to his people and to hisSts but let them not turneagaine to folly; A place that I prefume was hooked in here violently, for want of a fitter opportunity towren it with a by interpretation, becaufe it lookes fo hardly on the Doctrine which our Author hath undertaken todefend; But let this paffe alfo. Hisfourth Affertion whichhe purfues at large, or rather with manywords, is, That thefe Threatnings have no tendency to the goodof Believers, but only by begetting in them afeare ofHell and Deilrultion; which that they ought to do it flrongly provedfromLuke 12.4,5. Where we are bidde tofeare him whocan call' bothbody andföule intoHell-fire; Now though the Logicke ofthis Argu- ment dothCcarce appeare to me, or the flrengthof the inference from the text,therebeing a greatdifference betweenfearinghimwhocan railboth body andfoule into Hellfire, and fearingof Hell-fire; between fearing God for his Severity and Power, inOppofition to the weakeneffè and limitedneffe of Perfecutors, (even whilft wefeare not their fearer, butfànflify the Lord of ho.Flr in our hearts, making him our dread and our feare) and fuch a feare df punifhment as is incontinent with the Promifes ofGod that we fhall bepre- ferved in Obedience, & Co befree from it; Yet I Ihall confiderthe following Difcourfe that is built thereon. Suppofing all that Mr Goodwin obferves from thisText, and that the reafon ofthe feare here injoyned, is taken from the power ofGod to caft into, Hell, yet the wholeofthe Argument thence'a- mountsbut thus firm, becaufe Inch who are threatned to be perfecuted by men who can only kill their bodyes, ought rather to feare God who can ex- tend his power of punning tothe deflrue/ion ofbody andfou: ofthofe that offend him, therefore there is fuch a feare . ingenerated in the Saintsby the Threatningsofthe Wordas is incontinent with the truth of Gods fled- faflneffe inhis Covenant with them, to keepe them up toObedience unto the end. 4.59 Se& the 14. he farther pleades from Heb. Ix. 7. 2 Kings 22. 79,20. That the eminentefli andHolyeff men thatlive maydo many thingsfrom a principle offeare or o fbeing afraidofthe fudgments ofGod that they fhould come upon them, and upon that account have been put upon wayes that were acceptable to God. Anf. We know that the Feare ofthe Lordis the beginning of.wifdome: and that the FeareoftheLord and hisGoodnefé, is a great Mercyofthe Covenant ofGrace; This is not the thinghere pleaded for it is a thing quite ofanother nature, even that afcribed to the flrange nationsthat were tranfplanted into Samaria,by theKing ofSyria, upon the captivity_ and retnoveail ofthe ten tribes, and frightened byLyons that deftroyed- Come of them, who did yet continuetoworthip their owne Idolls, under the dread of God which was upon them, which is called theFeareof the Lord. To compleat this feare 'tis required that a man have fuch an Apprehenfion of the comeing ofHell and Wrathuponhim, as that he be not relieved againft it, by any interpolall ofPromife, or ought elfe fromGod, that he fhould be preferved in theway and path whereby he fhall affuredly finde deliverance, from that which he fearer
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