6. And Lastly, Besides all this let it be well considered, that if there be any man on Earth (that hath the use of Reason, of whom only actual Faith is required) that doth not actually Believe in Christ, it is their own fault, and is not long of Christ: He will not condemn them merely for their sin against that Law of works which saith [obey perfectly, or dye] but for rejecting recovering Grace, and that sufficient in its kind, and to its own work. I say it again confidently, all men that perish (who have the use of reason) do perish directly for rejecting sufficient Recovering Grace. By Grace I mean, mercy contrary to merit: by recovering, I ⟨p. 435⟩mean, such as tendeth in its own nature toward their Recovery, and leadeth or helpeth them thereto. By sufficient I mean, not sufficient directly to save them; (for such none of the Elect have till they are saved) nor yet sufficient to give them Faith, or cause them savingly to Believe: But it is sufficient to bring them nearer Christ than they are, though not to put them into immediate possession of Christ by Union with him, as Faith would do. It is an easy truth, that all men naturally are far from Christ, and 2. That some by custom in sinning, for want of informing, and restraining means, are much further from him than others (as the Heathens are.) 3. And that it is not Gods usual way, (nor to be expected) to bring these men to Christ at once by one act, or without any preparation, or first bringing them nearer to him. It is a similitude used by some that oppose what I now say: suppose a man in a lower room, and another in a room below him, and you stand at the Stair head, and call them both up to you and offer them somewhat if they will come: It is not your intent that they should leap up at one leap, but come up step by step: nor do you mean that he in the lower room should go no more steps than he in the middle room: He must go many steps before he come to be as near you as the other is. Now suppose you offer to take them by the hand when they come to the upper Stairs, and give them some other sufficient help to come up the lower steps: If these men will not use the help given them to ascend the first steps (though entreated) who can be blamed but themselves if they come not to the ⟨p. 436⟩top? It is not your fault but theirs that they have not your hand to lift them up at the last step. So is our present case.
6. And Lastly, Besides all this let it be well considered, that if there be any man on Earth (that hath the use of Reason, of whom only actual Faith is required) that doth not actually Believe in Christ, it is their own fault, and is not long of Christ: He will not condemn them meerly for their sin against that Law of works which saith [obey perfectly, or dye] but for rejecting recovering Grace, and that sufficient in its kind, and to its own work. I say it again confidently, all men that perish (who have the use of reason) do perish directly for rejecting sufficient Recovering Grace. By Grace I mean, mercy contrary to merit: by recovering, I ⟨p. 435⟩mean, such as tendeth in its own nature toward their Recovery, and leadeth or helpeth them thereto. By sufficient I mean, not sufficient directly to save them; (for such none of the Elect have till they are saved) nor yet sufficient to give them Faith, or cause them savingly to Believe: But it is sufficient to bring them nearer Christ than they are, though not to put them into immediate possession of Christ by Union with him, as Faith would do. It is an easie truth, that all men naturally are far from Christ, and 2. That some by custom in sinning, for want of informing, and restraining means, are much further from him than others (as the Heathens are.) 3. And that it is not Gods usual way, (nor to be expected) to bring these men to Christ at once by one act, or without any preparation, or first bringing them nearer to him. It is a similitude used by some that oppose what I now say: suppose a man in a lower room, and another in a room below him, and you stand at the Stair head, and call them both up to you and offer them somewhat if they will come: It is not your intent that they should leap up at one leap, but come up step by step: nor do you mean that he in the lower room should go no more steps than he in the middle room: He must go many steps before he come to be as near you as the other is. Now suppose you offer to take them by the hand when they come to the upper Stairs, and give them some other sufficient help to come up the lower steps: If these men will not use the help given them to ascend the first steps (though intreated) who can be blamed but themselves if they come not to the ⟨p. 436⟩top? It is not your fault but theirs that they have not your hand to lift them up at the last step. So is our present case.
