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

First, The good opinions man had of himself are now confuted; the high thoughts of himself are taken down; he seeth now his money is but brass, not so good: How highly did Paul value his privileges, his Pharisaical righteousness, before Christ came to this work? What a low esteem had he of them all, after this work that now we are upon? Phil. 3.7, 8, 9. thus it is with all true Converts: had the man any opinions in doctrine proud and high, they were never so confuted as now: did he cry up the great Diana of Liberum arbitrium, as most do, [and ⟨p. 105⟩we grant it to be Liberum, when the Son hath made it free] now he calls it Servum arbitrium, as Luther did, ¹and blessed Austin long before him, as Jansenius in his excellent Work doth manifest in several places, and saith, he knows not what that new Writer means (he doth not name him) who saith, Nomen servi arbitrii was never heard of in the Catholic Church for fifteen hundred years; when as he makes it clear by his quotations out of Austin, that he had called it so several times. ²Blessed Austin was not the man alone who complained of his Ferrea Voluntas; here are others with him who feel it as well as that blessed Saint did. Had the man slight thoughts of imputed righteousness, did he jeer at it as some have done, and do still? his thoughts are changed, he is now convinced of such a necessity of a perfect righteousness, that now imputed righteousness is the most precious Doctrine of the Gospel, the very life blood of a Christian: the Spirit hath so disputed with him in this work of self-emptying, that now all the Arguments in the Jesuits College he scorns them; he hath sound it, felt it, Lord, if thy free Grace do not save me, my free will I am sure will damn me: Surely in the Lord (not in my self) have I righteousness and strength; in him only must I glory, Isai. 45.24, 25.

First, The good opinions man had of himself are now confuted; the high thoughts of himself are taken down; he seeth now his money is but brass, not so good: How highly did Paul value his priviledges, his Pharisaical righteousness, before Christ came to this work? What a low esteem had he of them all, after this work that now we are upon?