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

Secondly, They found and observed by experience, that it was not in the power of these legal workings and terrors, to take the Soul off kindly and soundly from sin. If the Spirit indeed be pleased to hold and carry on the work, then they are an excellent and rational means towards it; else though while the Soul is actually under them, a man may be so scared, that he dare not follow his lusts for this time. The dog may be afraid to meddle with his carrion, and stands at a distance while he seeth the oudgel, but will return to it again, and so will these to their lusts, when these fears draw off. It is the work of Redemption, the Cross of Christ, the Spirit of the new Covenant, not the terrors of the old Covenant, which taketh the Soul off soundly from sin. I was once in shipwreck, about one of the clock in the night, in December, the Ship was breaking upon the Rocks, there was a dreadful shout amongst some of the Seamen, I shall be in Hell before the morning; but yet could be drunk within three days after God spared them. I was told by a Reverend Divine, whose Sister a Professor married, I knew the mans Relations; this Professor, it seems, secretly followed his lust of uncleanness; after he had yielded to his lust, it seems, he had such dreadful horrors, his Conscience did so tear him, that he said, had he been thrown at the back of the fire, he thought he could as easily have born that burning, as endure those ⟨p. 80⟩torments he felt in his Conscience: yet when these horrors went off, he followed his lust again; and this was his course for some time; at last (as I have heard) after great humblings, God redeemed him from his lust. How many times have Ministers lost their hopes, when they thought God had made them spiritual Fathers of Children, when they saw their hearers under these workings, yea, some under such great terrors, that Town and Country rung of them, and at last came to nothing. I have been told concerning Doctor Sibbs, that when he heard of persons under such great legal terrors, he began to fear them, that they would not prove sound. Terrors may suspend the actings of lusts for the present, but it is the work of Christ to save from the love, and destroy the power of lusts: Therefore they sought the more to Christ to have this separation from sin to be made kindly and soundly.

Secondly, They found and observed by experience, that it was not in the power of these legal workings and terrors, to take the Soul off kindly and soundly from sin. If the Spirit indeed be pleased to hold and carry on the work, then they are an excellent and rational means towards it; else though while the Soul is actually under them, a man may be so scared, that he dare not follow his lusts for this time. The dog may be afraid to meddle with his carrion, and stands at a distance while he seeth the oudgel, but will return to it again, and so will these to their lusts, when these fears draw off. It is the work of Redemption, the Cross of Christ, the Spirit of the new Covenant, not the terrors of the old Covenant, which taketh the Soul off soundly from sin. I was once in shipwrack, about one of the clock in the night, in December, the Ship was breaking upon the Rocks, there was a dreadful shout amongst some of the Seamen, I shall be in Hell before the morning; but yet could be drunk within three dayes after God spared them. I was told by a Reverend Divine, whose Sister a Professour married, I knew the mans Relations; this Professour, it seems, secretly followed his lust of uncleanness; after he had yielded to his lust, it seems, he had such dreadful horrors, his Conscience did so tear him, that he said, had he been thrown at the back of the fire, he thought he could as easily have born that burning, as endure those