2. It is no fruit or product of the Spirit of life and love; which, as hath been shown, is the principle of all our obedience and walk- ing with God.
8. It holds out a frame of spirit directly contrary to what we are called and admitted unto under the gospel ; for " God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind," 2 Tim. i. 7: and Rom. viii. 15, "Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye hive received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." The spirit of this fear and dread, and the bondage that attends it, is at open variance with the S})irit of liberty, boldness, power, adoption, and a sound mind, where- with believers are endued. And, —
4. It is that which the Lord Christ intended to remove and take away from his by his death: Heb. ii. 15, He died that he might "de liver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."
XII.] OBJECTIONS TO THE DOCTRINE EEFUTED. 473
This fear, then, I say, which is neither promise of the covenant, nor fruit of the Spirit, nor product of saving faith, will scarce, upon strict inquiry, be found to be any great furtherer of the saints' obe- dience. What use the Lord is pleased to make of this dread and terror in the hearts of any c^ his, for the hedging up their ways from folly, and staving them off from any actual evil, when, through the strength of temptation, they do begin to cast off the law of life and love whereby they are governed, is not in the least prejudiced by any thing asserted in the doctrine of the saints' perseverance. Towards some, who, though they are persuaded of the perseverance of the saints indefinitely, yet have no persuasion, or at least no pre- vailing cheering assurance, that themselves are saints (which Mr Goodwin thinks to be the condition of far the greatest part of be- lievers), it hath its full power and extent, its whole efficacy depend- ing on the apprehensions of the mind wherein it is. Towards the residue, who upon abiding grounds and sure foundations have ob- tained a comfortable spiritual persuasion of their own interest in the promises of God, that the consideration of hell and judgment, as the due debt of sin and necessary vindication of the glory of God, hath also its effect and influence, as far as God is pleased to exercise them therewith, acquainting them continually with his terror, and filling them with an abhorrency of those ways which in and of them- selves tend to so dismal an end and issue, hath been declared.
The places of Scripture mentioned by Mr Goodwin doubtless will not reach his intendment. Of Noah it is said that he was iii'h.aZnkii after he was ■/j>-fiiJ.ariGQiig. Being warned of God of that flood that was for to come upon the world of ungodly men, and the salvation of himself and his family by the ark, being filled with the reverence of God, and assured of his own preservation, he indus- triously sets himself about the use of the means whereby it was to be accomplished. That because a man assured of an end from God himself, in and by the use of means, did, with reverential fear of God, not of any evil threatened, which he was to be preserved from, set himself to a conscientious use of means whereby the pro- mised end of God's own institution is to be brought about, therefore the fear of hell (such a fear as hath been described) is one principle of the obedience of the saints in their walking with God, and such as they ought to cherish, as being a means appointed of God for that end and purpose, is an argument of no great value here with us. Neither, surely, will the conclusion intended be more evidently educed from the tenderness of the heart of Josiah under the preaching of the law, mentioned in the second place; and therefore I shall not need to call it into examination.
But it is added farther, sect. 14, p. 314, "The present state and frame of the hearts and souls of the saints, duly considered, which
■i7^ DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERAXCE. [CflAP.
are made up as well of flesh and corruption as of Spirit and grace, the former having need of bridles for restraint, as well as the latter of spurs for quickening, evident it is that arguments or motives drawn from fear of punishment are as necessary and proper for them in respect of the one as incitements from love in respect of the other. * A whip for the horse,' says Solomon, ' a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.' The flesh, even in the wisest of men, is a fool, and would be unruly without a rod ever and anon shaken over it; nor should God have made such gracious, bountiful, and effec- tual 2:)rovision for the perseverance of the saints as now he hath done, had he not engaged as well the passion of fear within them as of love "to be their guardian keeper. It is true, 'perfect love casteth out fear,' but who amongst the saints themselves can say either that his heart is clean or his love perfect? Perfect love casteth out flesh as well as fear; yea, true love, until flesh be cast out, preserveth fear for its assistant and fellow-helper. The flesh would soon make love a wanton, and entice her unto folly, did not fear dissolve the en- chantment and protect her chastity."