The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

Ans. What are the springs of true spiritual heavenly Consolation, the consolation which God is willing Believers should receive; whence it flows; the means of its continuance and increase, how remote it is from a sole dependency on our own Obedience, hath been in part before declared; But yet if the next Assertion can be made good, (viz.) That the Doctrine of the Saints Apostasy, hath a tendency instituted of God, to the promotion of their Obedience and Holiness, I shall not contend about the other, concerning the issuing of their consolation from thence. All that really is offered in the behalf of Apostasy, as to its serviceableness in this kind is, that it is suited, to ingenerate in Believers, a fear of Hell, which will put them upon all ways of mortifying the flesh, and the fruits of it, which otherwise would bring them thereunto: And is this indeed the great mystery of the Gospel? Is this Christs way of dealing with his Saints? Or is it not a falling from Grace, to return again unto the Law? Those of whom alone we speak, who are concerned in this business are all of them taken into the Glorious liberty of the Sons of God, are every ⟨p. 380⟩one of them partakers of that Spirit with whom is liberty, are all endued with a living principle of Grace, Faith and Love, and are constrained by the Love of Christ to live to him, are all under Grace and not under the Law, have their sins in some measure begun to be mortified, and the flesh with the lusts thereof, the old man, with all his ways and wiles crucified, by the Death and Cross of Christ, brought with their power and efficacy by the Spirit into their hearts, are all delivered from that bondage wherein they were for fear of Death and Hell all their days, by having Christ made Redemption unto them? I say that these persons should be most effectually stirred up to Obedience, by the dread and terror of that Iron rod, of vengeance and Hell, and that they should be so, by Gods appointment, is such a new, such another Gospel, as if preached by an Angel from Heaven, we should not receive.

Ans. What are the springs of true spirituall heavenly Consolation, the consolation which God is willing Believers should receive; whence it flowes; the meanes of its continuance and increase, how remote it is from a sole dependency on our own Obedience, hath been in part before declared; But yet if the next Assertion can be made good, (viz.) That the Doctrine of the Saints Apostasy, hath a tendency instituted of God, to the promotion of their Obedience and Holinesse, I shall not contend about the other, concerning the issuing of their consolation from thence. All that really is offered in the behalfe of Apostasy, as to its serviceablenesse in this kind is, that it is suited, to ingenerate in Believers, a feare of Hell, which will put them upon all wayes of mortifying the flesh, and the fruits of it, which otherwise would bring them thereunto: And is this indeed the great mistery of the Gospell? Is this Christs way of dealing with his Saints? Or is it not a falling from Grace, to returne againe unto the Law? Those of whom alone we speak, who are concerned in this busines are all of them taken into the Glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God, are every