3. The Doctrine of Gospel grace is abused many ways. Sometimes to exclude the fear and reverence of God, as if ⟨p. 214⟩fear were an antiquated grace suiting only with a legal dispensation: whereas the children of God think the more grace, the more fear, Psal. 130. 4. There is mercy with thee, therefore thou shouldst be feared, and Hos. 3. 5. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness: the goodness of God doth not make them presumptuous; but is the greater matter of reverence and holy trembling: fear is so far from being abolished in the Gospel, that it continueth in Heaven, it being an essential and necessary respect from the Creature to the Creator. Again, 'tis abused to deny all humiliation and sorrow for sins; yea all confession of sins, as if to be humbled for sins were legal, whereas repentance and all the acts of it, is a mere Gospel duty, the Law knew no such thing, and the truest and most genuine sorrow ariseth from a sense of pardon, Zek. 12. 10. They shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn, So Luk. 7. 47. that Christian Niobe loved much and wept much, and all because much was forgiven; John speaketh to believers to them that walked▪ in the light to confess their sins, 1 Joh 1▪ 9. we cannot have pardon in Gods way till this be done: if we confess, &c. tis a condition not for which, but without which pardon is not obtained: it doth not show the cause but the order of graces working: again, sometimes tis abused to the neglecting of circumspection and heed in us: we are preserved in Christ (say they) and therefore we may be careless, and though we cast our selves upon snares, temptations and occasions to sin: be confident that God will keep us; the Devil sets upon Christ with such a temptation, Mat. 4. 6. Cast thy self down, and he shall give his Angels charge over thee. Libertines scoff at the niceness and scrupulousness of former professors, that were willing to keep at such a distance from a temptation, as if their strict and exact walking were a fruit of their darkness and legal spiritedness: whereas the Apostle maketh it a main property of of children of light; thus to do Eph. 5. 15. So Gods doing all in the covenant of Grace, is abused to exclude all care of duty: and to keep men in a lazy oscitancy, and gaping for grace without all care or endeavour on our part:
3. The Doctrine of Gospel grace is abused many wayes. Sometimes to exclude the fear and reverence of God, as if ⟨p. 214⟩fear were an antiquated grace suiting onely with a legal dispensation: whereas the children of God think the more grace, the more fear, Psal. 130. 4. There is mercy with thee, therefore thou shouldst be feared, and Hos. 3. 5. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness: the goodness of God doth not make them presumptious; but is the greater matter of reverence and holy trembling: fear is so far from being abolished in the Gospel, that it continueth in Heaven, it being an essential and necessary respect from the Creature to the Creator. Again, 'tis abused to deny all humiliation and sorrow for sins; yea all confession of sins, as if to be humbled for sins were legal, whereas repentance and all the acts of it, is a meer Gospel duty, the Law knew no such thing, and the truest and most genuine sorrow ariseth from a sense of pardon, Zek. 12. 10. They shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn, So Luk. 7. 47. that Christian Niobi loved much and wept much, and all because much was forgiven; John speaketh to beleevers to them that walked▪ in the light to confess their sins, 1 Joh 1▪ 9. we cannot have pardon in Gods way till this be done: if we confess, &c. tis a condition not for which, but without which pardon is not obtained: it doth not shew the cause but the order of graces working: again, sometimes tis abused to the neglecting of circumspection and heed in us: we are preserved in Christ (say they) and therefore we may be careless, and though we cast our selves upon snares, temptations and occasions to sin: be confident that God will keep us; the Devil sets upon Christ with such a temptation, Mat. 4. 6. Cast thy self down, and he shall give his Angels charge over thee. Libertines scoff at the niceness and scrupulousness of former professors, that were willing to keep at such a distance from a temptation, as if their strict and exact walking were a fruit of their darkness and legal spiritedness: whereas the Apostle maketh it a main property of of children of light; thus to do Eph. 5. 15. So Gods doing all in the covenant of Grace, is abused to exclude all care of duty: and to keep men in a lazy oscitancy, and gaping for grace without all care or endeavour on our part:
