No saith Mr. Shepherd, between those preparations and Faith in Christ, there comes in one more, to make up sound preparation. What is that I pray? The Soul in that condition must lye under God, to be disposed of as he please; quietly contented to lye still at his feet, p. 125, 143, 150. But I pray what mean you by this? That is, It must have no sinking discouragements, no secret quarrelling, but content, quiet, though God will never work grace, never manifest grace, never pity it, never help it, never succour it, never give it his Love, p. 140, 154. In one word, saith Mr. Thomas Hooker, if the Soul be rightly humbled, it is content to bear the state of Damnation: Souls Humiliation, p. 112. This then is another requisite to right preparation for Christ, 1that the Soul so prepared, as I have mentioned, be content to be without Christ, and bear the state of damnation, if God will have it so. These holy men tell us of damned Saints, what else to call them I know not: The Soul before it comes to Christ hath no goodness at all, nothing that we can call Sanctification or Grace in them, by way of habit, these men acknowledge: yet here I think is an Act, and a high one too, of Grace (if it must be by the Word requiring it) before the Soul hath Faith in Christ; such a subjection to the holy Will and Sovereignty of God, that if he will deny it the greatest good the rational Creature is capable of, and inflict upon it his dreadful wrath to eternity, the Soul is quiet, contented, well satisfied with his pleasure. Can any man call this any other but Grace, and it must be performed also from a habit of Grace? Mr. Shepherd doth not tell us this is wrought by actual grace, without a sanctified habit. When Aaron held his peace, Levit. 10.3. David was dumb, Psal. 38.9. I think they did manifest Grace in their quiet subjection to Gods Justice and Sovereignty: But what petty nothings were their trials, unto this which the convinced Soul is ⟨p. 109⟩now called to, and yet must have no Grace. Either Nature or Grace must do this: not Nature I am sure, then it must be Grace; and yet no Faith, no Christ, no sanctified habit of Grace in it.
No saith Mr. Shepherd, between those preparations and Faith in Christ, there comes in one more, to make up sound preparation. What is that I pray? The Soul in that condition must lye under God, to be disposed of as he please; quietly contented to lye still at his feet, p. 125, 143, 150. But I pray what mean you by this? That is, It must have no sinking discouragements, no secret quarrelling, but content, quiet, though God will never work grace, never manifest grace, never pity it, never help it, never succour it, never give it his Love, p. 140, 154. In one word, saith Mr. Thomas Hooker, if the Soul be rightly humbled, it is content to bear the state of Damnation: Souls Humiliation, p. 112. This then is another requisite to right preparation for Christ, 1that the Soul so prepared, as I have mentioned, be content to be without Christ, and bear the state of damnation, if God will have it so. These holy men tell us of damned Saints, what else to call them I know not: The Soul before it comes to Christ hath no goodness at all, nothing that we can call Sanctification or Grace in them, by way of habit, these men acknowledge: yet here I think is an Act, and a high one too, of Grace (if it must be by the Word requiring it) before the Soul hath Faith in Christ; such a subjection to the holy Will and Soveraignty of God, that if he will deny it the greatest good the rational Creature is capable of, and inflict upon it his dreadful wrath to eternity, the Soul is quiet, contented, well satisfied with his pleasure. Can any man call this any other but Grace, and it must be performed also from a habit of Grace? Mr. Shepherd doth not tell us this is wrought by actual grace, without a sanctified habit. When Aaron heldhis peace, Levit. 10.3. David was dumb, Psal. 38.9. I think they did manifest Grace in their quiet subjection to Gods Justice and Soveraignty: But what petty nothings were their tryals, unto this which the convinced Soul is ⟨p. 109⟩now called to, and yet must have no Grace. Either Nature or Grace must do this: not Nature I am sure, then it must be Grace; and yet no Faith, no Christ, no sanctified habit of Grace in it.
- 1So Mr: Hooker Souls Humil. p. 145. expresseth it plainly. p. 112.
