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

I answer: If this Argument be well looked into, I think there is a fallacy appears in it. If you lay it thus, If the Sovereignty of God, in denying me any one common mercy, be the ground which makes me quiet and still in want of it; then if Gods pleasure be to deny me another common mercy, upon the same ground I will still be quiet: So there may be some use of what is added, be that hates sin as sin, hates all sin; for all sin is of the same nature, transgression of the Law, enmity against God: So all common mercies, as common, are of the same nature; none argue special love: But this Argument speaks not ad idem for your Argument runs from common mercies to saving special mercies; these are not as sins quâ, sins of the same nature, enmity to God; but these differ infinitely quite of another nature: So that to argue, because I am quiet with the will of God in denying me common mercies, ergo, I must be quiet, contented with the will of God, though he denies me special mercies, will never give me his Love, Grace, but damn me: This is [Greek or Hebrew], a fallacy.

I answer: If this Argument be well looked into, I think there is a fallacy appears in it. If you lay it thus, If the Soveraignty of God, in denying me any one common mercy, be the ground which makes me quiet and still in want of it; then if Gods pleasure be to deny me another common mercy, upon the same ground I will still be quiet: So there may be some use of what is added, be that hates sin as sin, hates all sin; for all sin is of the same nature, transgression of the Law, enmity against God: So all common mercies, as common, are of the same nature; none argue special love: But this Argument speaks not ad idem for your Argument runs from common mercies to saving special mercies; these are not as sins quâ, sins of the same nature, enmity to God; but these differ infinitely quite of another nature: So that to argue, because I am quiet with the will of God in denying me common mercies, ergo, I must be quiet, contented with the will of God, though he denies me special mercies, will never give me his Love, Grace, but damn me: This is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a fallacy.

Secondly, It seems by this Argument, that all the reasons, or the only reason, why we are content, and ought to be content when God denies us any common mercy, is the sovereignty and pleasure of God; for this is the reason expressed, and none but this. That the pleasure of God doth much, and ought to do much among Christians, I deny not; but that this must be the sole reason, as if no other reason should quiet us, I understand not this Divinity: With his leave, I shall give him other reasons why I am content and quiet, though God denieth me some common mercies, since it is his pleasure freely to give me himself, his Christ, his Love, his Grace, his Pardon and Peace, which are sure mercies; therefore I desire to be quiet and content, though he hath denied me many common mercies; and let me say this (with honour yet) to that holy man, that the will being a most hungry appetite, and