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

Let us see then whither we have brought the Soul: the Spirit of God hath convinced it of its sinful, undone, miserable condition, hath made it acquainted with fears and sorrows rising from that Conviction, hath beaten it out of its self-confidence and self-righteousness, it is very poor in its own eyes, he hath made it willing, or not unwilling to be divorced from its sins and lusts, glad to take Christ upon any terms, so it may have him: What is next? Faith in Christ; close with him, poor Soul, say I, take him upon ⟨p. 108⟩those terms the Gospel tenders him, which thou sayest, and that truly, thou doest heartily submit to, and thinkest it is the best bargain that ever thou madest. This Doctrine I dare preach to thee.

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,