C.XII. Feare not the molt effettuall motive to Obedience. 300 ny other Service or Öbediencebecome Sonnes andChildren, but only thatwhichh free andproceedethfrom Love ? Hereuntoyou havea threefold Anfwerreturned. Firft, That Godrequires that it fhouldbefo ; which is a downeright begging of the Qhieftion. Secondly, He puts a difference between the Obedience of Children to their Parents, and ofthe Saints unto God; The difcourfe whereofdifcovering fome myfteries ofthe newDotlrineofGrace, much preffed and infifted on , take,as followes. There is a very different confederation ofthe Obedience ofchildren to theirNaturall Parents,& oftheobedience oftheChildren ofGod unto theirHeaven- ¡yFather; TheObedienceoftheformer, is but by the lnfpirationof Nature, and is an aünotfomuch raifed by Deliberation, orflowingfrom the will, by an interpo- foreofjudgment, and confcience to produce the Eletlion,as arifing from an innate propenfion in men, accompanying the verycon,flituting principles of their Nature and beings Whereas the latter, the Obedienceof the childrenofGod, is taught by Precepts, and the Principle of it I mean that Rationell frameof Heart, Out of which theyfubje5t themfelves to God, hplanted in thefoules ofmen by the ingage- mentofReafon, yadgement, andConfcience to confider thofegrounds, arguments, andmotives, by which their Heavenly Fatherjudgeth it meet toworkandfafhion themuntofuck aframe; So that though the obedienceofNaturall Children to their Natural' Parents, be the more genuine andcommendable, when itfotresfreely ,from the pure inflinli ofNature, andis not drawnfrom thembyfiare ofpunifhntent, yet the ObedienceofthechildrenofGod is then moil genuine and commendable, and like unto itfells, when it is.proditced, and raifed in'the foule, by ajoynt influence and contribution, not ofone or offome, but ofall thoft ltrgurnents, Keafons, Mo- tives, Inducements whatfoever, and how manyföever they be, bywhich theirHea- venlyFather ufeth toplant and workit in them; for in this cafe, and in this only, it bathmoll ofGod, oftheSpirit ofGod, ofthe LtifdonieofGod, oftheGoodneffé ofGod: in andupon this account it is likelieft to be NOfree, umforme, andper- manent. The ftunme ofthis Anfwer amounts to theee three things. Firft that there is an lnflinet ór infpirationofNature in Children toyeild Obediedce to theirParents. Secondly that there is.no Cch spiritual/ strut 5.t or inclination in theSaints toyeild Obedience toGod. Thirdly, that the Obedience ofthe Saints arifeth meerely and Polley from Inch Confiderations ofthe Reafonofthat Obedience, which they appre- hend in contradi&ion to any fuch genuine principles as might incline their hearts thereunto. For the first, That the obedienceofChildren to their Parents, though it be a prime di&ate ofthe LawofNature whereWith they are indued, proceedeth from a pureln fiinci,any otherwife than as a principle fuitingec inclining them to the A&s ofthat Obedience; fo asto exclude the promoting and carryingof it on, upon the Morall condfiderationof Duty, Piety &c, it is in vain for Mr G000dwinto goab'out to perfwade us, unlefle he could not only corrode the Word ofGodwhere it preffeth that Obedience as a Duty, but alto charmeus' into beafts ofthefeild, Which area&edby fucha bruit inftin&, not to be im- proved, flirred up or drawneforth into exercife by Deliberation or Confide- rations There is, it is true in Children an imprefle of the power oftheLaw ofnature, Miring them to Obedience (which yet in many bath been quite cafe out andobliterated, being not oftheconftituting principles oftheir Na- ture, which whilft theyhaue their being as fuch, cannot be throwne out of them)and carrying themout 'unto it withDelight, ]Eafe, andComplacency, (as
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