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

Secondly, They found, that Christ was made so precious to them, that they did most gladly accept of Gods offer, and think it the best bargain that ever they made, might they but enjoy him upon his own terms.

Fifthly, They considered that great Command of the Gospel, To believe in Jesus Christ, to receive him, which (as I have said before) makes it my duty to believe in him, prepared or not prepared; they could not answer their neglect of that Command, by saying, Alas, I am not prepared, therefore I must not, or I cannot believe in Christ: This will not do; and therefore they must say, as that good Woman on her death-bed to her Minister, examining her about her Faith, the grounds of it (which at that time was understood to lye in Assurance, and so she answered) O Sir, said she, I did believe, because I dare do no other.

Fifthly, They confidered that great Command of the Gospel, To believe in Jesus Christ, to receive him, which (as I have said before) makes it my duty to believe in him, prepared or not prepared; they could not answer their neglect of that Command, by saying, Alas, I am not prepared, therefore I must not, or I cannot believe in Christ: This will not do; and therefore they must say, as that good Woman on her death-bed to her Minister, examining her about her Faith, the grounds of it (which at that time was understood to lye in Assurance, and so she answered) O Sir, said she, I did believe, because I dare do no other.

Sixthly, Some (for I do not say all have found it) have found, that though God did spare them in the first ⟨p. 82⟩coming home, as to legal terrors and sorrows, from the guilt of fin, yet for sorrows and troubles arising from sin another way, they have met with their hearts full, yea, full indeed, so full, that might they have been their own choosers, they would rather have chosen a year lying under that legal bondage, which hath made them so often call into question the soundness of their Conversion, then to lye so many years under those pressing loads, which have made them weary of their lives. Whence let me give this advice to Christians; Is thy heart light, too vain, frothy? beg of God to make it serious, and study how to walk awfully and humbly before him; but do not you, as some have been apt, almost to quarrel with God, for want of legal sorrows and fears, if you have them not one way, you may have enough another way: God may let out some lust upon thee, it may be that lust in which thou tookest delight before, and with which thy heart was most defiled; which lust, though God keeps thee so that it shall not prevail or get mastery over thee, yet it may follow thee so impetuously and incessantly with the motions in all thou goest about, and hence cause such horrid vexations and afflictions to thy spirit, that thou wilt cry out a hundred times with