The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…

Yea, said he, but this, believing, I find a hard work: And it is indeed, though most think it the casiest thing in the Bible; though they can do nothing else, yet they can believe, yea, yea, while Conscience lies asleep; but when Conscience is awake, and God sets all thy sins in order before thee, in an evil day, death drawing near, now friend tell me, is it easy to believe in Christ? you will find with that poor Apostate (my heart trembles while I think of him) believing is a hard work indeed. It is nothing but a sleepy Conscience that makes Faith easy. Now friend give me your answer; Is it best to see sin and guilt now, while you may see a Saviour also, or to see sin and a Judge hereafter, but no Saviour? Sin you shall see, as we say, in spite of your teeth, will you, nill you; O then let me see sin and guilt now, O now with a sweet Saviour, that I may have this woeful sight past when I come to dye.

Yea, said he, but this, believing, I find a hard work: And it is indeed, though most think it the casiest thing in the Bible; though they can do nothing else, yet they can believe, yea, yea, while Conscience lies asleep; but when Conscience is awake, and God sets all thy sins in order before thee, in an evil day, death drawing near, now friend tell me, is it easie to believe in Christ? you will find with that poor Apostate (my heart trembles while I think of him) believing is a hard work indeed. It is nothing but a sleepy Conscience that makes Faith easie. Now friend give me your answer; Is it best to see sin and guilt now, while you may see a Saviour also, or to see sin and a Judge hereafter, but no Saviour? Sin you shall see, as we say, in spite of your teeth, will you, nill you; O then let me see sin and guilt now, O now with a sweet Saviour, that I may have this woful sight past when I come to dye.

Secondly, Thou fearest if thy lusts and Idol-creatures were discovered to thee as they are in themselves, thou and they should part: there is, I confess, fair probability of it; for certainly were a man throughly enlightened to see what it is to be a slave to its Justs, a vassal to the Creature, an enemy unto God, a stranger from Christ, a prisoner under the Law, a drudge to the Devil, and God an enemy to him, (which is the state of us all by Nature) no man living could bear it, but would cry out for a Redeemer presently. But is it not then a most irrational thing, that a