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

Either you must murmur and quarrel against God, if he will not give you his Love, and Grace, but damn you: or else you must be content, though God will never give you his Love and Grace, but damn you.

Either you must murmure and quarrel against God, if he will not give you his Love, and Grace, but damn you: or else you must be content, though God will never give you his Love and Grace, but damn you.

But you must not murmur and quarrel; ergo, you must be content.

But you must not murmure and quarrel; ergo, you must be content.

To this Argument I answer: I deny the disjunction: there is no necessity that one of the parts must be true: or I deny both the parts of the Proposition; for I would neither murmur, quarrel, or fly out against God; nor will I study to be content, to be given up to my lusts, denied Grace, and be damned.

To this Argument I answer: I deny the disjunction: there is no necessity that one of the parts must be true: or I deny both the parts of the Proposition; for I would neither murmure, quarrel, or fly out against God; nor will I study to be content, to be given up to my lusts, denied Grace, and be damned.

Answ. I answer: The Lord hath made me see what a sinful and miserable Creature I am in my self, and hath made me feel how unable I am to help my self, being nothing in my self but sin, misery, rebellion, emptiness, wants: the Toad more happy; yet in the Gospel I see he hath revealed his Christ: he offers Christ to me, calls me to receive Jesus, who delivereth me from wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1.10. Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity, 2 Tit. 14. From this present world, Gal. 1.4. Christ himself calls me to come, Isai. 55.1. Revel. 22.17. tells me, he will not shut the door against me, nor cast me out if I do come, John 6.37. He promiseth if I do come I shall not perish, John 3.16. Gods will and command is, that I do believe in him, John 3.16. 1 John 3.23. It is obedience to believe in him, Rom. 1.5. and 16.26. Obedience of Faith. He threatens me, if I believe not, with his ⟨p. 124⟩wrath, John 3. last. When I was in my infancy he took me into Covenant with my godly Parents, and poured clean water upon me in my baptism, Ezek. 36.25. signifying and sealing up to me the blood of Christ with his benefits, if I answer the condition of his Covenant.

Answ. I answer: The Lord hath made me see what a finful and miserable Creature I am in my self, and hath made me feel how unable I am to help my self, being nothing in my self but sin, misery, rebellion, emptiness, wants: the Toad more happy; yet in the Gospel I see he hath revealed his Chaist: he offers Christ to me, calls me to receive Jesus, who delivereth me from wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1.10. Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity, 2 Tit. 14. From this present world, Gal. 1.4. Christ himself calls me to come, Isai. 55.1. Revel. 22.17. tells me, he will not shut the door against me, nor cast me out if I do come, John 6.37. He promiseth if I do come I shall not perish, John 3.16. Gods will and command is, that I do believe in him, John 3.16. 1 John 3.23. It is obedience to believe in him, Rom. 1.5. and 16.26. Obedience of Faith. He threatens me, if I believe not, with his ⟨p. 124⟩wrath, John 3. last. When I was in my infancy he took me into Covenant with my godly Parents, and powred clean water upon me in my baptisme, Ezek. 36.25. signifying and sealing up to me the blood of Christ with his benefits, if I answer the condition of his Covenant.

Now his offer I most thankfully accept, his call I willingly answer, his promise and covenant I adore, his command I desire to obey, and do obey, his threat I dread and tremble at, his institution of baptism I look not on as an empty thing, a vain fancy; but sticking to my Fathers Covenant, and heartily willing to answer the condition; I with humble reverence plead that Covenant and my baptism with God, what he then engaged. I know God is Sovereign of his Grace, but how that comes under, offers, calls, commands, threats, promises, seals, I cannot learn; therefore I take up my thoughts about what is revealed, and what is my duty, neither quarrelling with the Sovereignty of God, nor studying at all how to be content to be damned.

Now his offer I most thankfully accept, his call I willingly answer, his promise and covenant I adore, his command I desire to obey, and do obey, his threat I dread and tremble at, his institution of baptisme I look not on as an empty thing, a vain fancy; but sticking to my Fathers Covenant, and heartily willing to answer the condition; I with humble reverence plead that Covenant and my baptisme with God, what he then engaged. I know God is Soveraign of his Grace, but how that comes under, offers, calls, commands, threats, promises, seals, I cannot learn; therefore I take up my thoughts about what is revealed, and what is my duty, neither quarrelling with the Soveraignty of God, nor studying at all how to be content to be damned.

Let not the Reader be troubled, though I mention my godly Parents with my baptism; thinking thus, alas, my parents were not godly, I cannot make use of my baptism: Yes, yes, Christian, thou hast room to plead it, make use of it, though they were not so; the force of it depends upon Gods institution. I marvel what use Mr. Hooker and Mr. Shepherd would have us make of baptism, (they being so strong for Infant-baptism) if we must study to be content to be damned.

Let not the Reader be troubled, though I mention my godly Parents with my baptisme; thinking thus, alas, my parents were not godly, I cannot make use of my baptisme: Yes, yes, Christian, thou hast room to plead it, make use of it, though they were not so; the force of it deponds upon Gods institution. I marvel what use Mr. Hooker and Mr. Shepherd would have us make of baptisme, (they being so strong for Infant-baptisme) if we must study to be content to be damned.

His third Head is drawn from his observations of Christians, the experiences he hath seen, when Christians have been brought to his point, to be content and quiet without Grace, without Gods Love, and so be damned: He saith, p. 140. I have seen it constantly, that many a chosen vessel never hath been comforted till now, and ever comforted when now. So p. 154. The Lord hath kept you (and it may be a long time) from sight and sense of his peculiar love: one would wonder why the Lord should hide ⟨p. 125⟩his love so much from those to whom he doth intend it; the great reason is, because there is in many a heart desirous of his love, and this would quiet them if they were sure of it: but they never came to be quieted with Gods will, in case they think they shall never partake of it.

So then it seems, if they did come to be quieted without his Love, they should have the sense of his Love, because the great reason that hindered was removed.

I wonder that Mr. Shepherd, being not only a very holy man, but so able a Divine, should let such a Logical fault slip, and not take notice of it; if you ask what? Ignoratio Elenchi: I pray, what is our question? What is the Head that now he is upon? It is the Souls humiliation and preparation for Christ: he is not come at Faith yet in Christ till the Soul comes to this. Hence Mr. Hooker tells us, p. 145. Before this no Faith can be infused into the Soul: so far as the heart is from this contentedness, to be at Gods dispose [what that is, read p. 112, 140.] so far it is from true preparation for Christ. Here Mr. Shepherd gives us the experiences of Christians who were ever comforted now, and never comforted till now: So again; now they come to have the sense of his Love: this he hath seen constantly, he saith. But, I pray are comforts and the sense of Gods love the same? the next things to preparation for Christ? I thought (and I am sure so thought Mr Shepherd) that between preparation and comfort, union with Christ (the ground of comfort) should have come in: Is it because you are weary and laden, therefore, Rest? ¹Coming to Christ comes in between weariness and rest. But Mr. Shepherd, if he will prove his question by experiences which he hath constantly seen, must prove, that he ever saw Christians were rightly prepared for Christ, and never rightly prepared for Christ till they came to this contentedness, to be damned if God will have it so: But his experiences tell us of comforts, and sense of Gods love: So true it is that, ⟨p. 126⟩— Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus. We know it is a long time indeed before many Christians attain to comforts and sense of Gods love, after they have union with Christ, and that is more then preparation for Christ. Reverend Mr. Hooker, and Mr. Shepherd, would have done well to have satisfied the Church of Christ, whether in their own experiences upon their own hearts, they found this work they preach to others, and were assured of it, upon infallible grounds, they had no Grace till then. I knew a woman of Mr. Shepherd's Church, who told me, as Mr. Shepherd writes, that she could never come to settled comfort, till she came thus to be content without Gods love, (no doubt but a man may trust his heart when it tells him so:) I knew the woman several years before as good a Christian as when she told me this:

1. 1Mat. 11.23.

but at that time there was no talk of being contented to be damned, if God will have it so, as now she had told me: believe their hearts who will, I shall never believe mine if it tell me so. Moreover, if Mr. Hooker, and Mr. Shepherd, had found this in themselves, in their very first Conversion, they must prove, that God must go the same way in all whom he converts, from Divine Authority; else, as said Chap. 1. It is tyranny, to tie up every Christian to the way God wrought in me, that so he must work in them. Once more: Mr. Hooker telleth us, without this work there can be no Faith, in more then one place; yet in that Piece, put out in defence of the right of Believers Children to Baptism, he undertakes to prove, that God works Faith in Infants: But are Infants also contented to be denied Grace, and be damned, if God will have it so, before God works Faith in them?

but at that time there was no talk of being contented to be damned, if God will have it so, as now she had told me: believe their hearts who will, I shall never believe mine if it tell me so. Moreover, if Mr. Hooker, and Mr. Shepherd, had found this in themselves, in their very first Conversion, they must prove, that God must go the same way in all whom he converts, from Divine Authority; else, as said Chap. 1. It is tyranny, to tie up every Christian to the way God wrought in me, that so he must work in them. Once more: Mr. Hooker telleth us, without this work there can be no Faith, in more then one place; yet in that Piece, put out in defence of the right of Believers Children to Baptisme, he undertakes to prove, that God works Faith in Infants: But are Infants also contented to be denied Grace, and be damned, if God will have it so, before God works Faith in them?

As to quarrelling, discontent, and impatience, if God denies his Love and Grace; because it shall not trouble us when I come to give my Arguments against Mr. Shepherd, this being another question, I shall speak a few words here: I said before, as I will not study how to be content ⟨p. 127⟩without Grace, and be damned, so I would not quarrel; impatience with God I will not justify: O no, I will and do beg pardon of my God; I do admire and adore his Patience and long-suffering towards me, that he can bear so with my frowardness, it shall be his eternal praise: But O how hard a thing is it, when Souls are pressed and oppressed with temptations long and strong, whether from apprehensions of guilt, wrath, and lye looking and listening for a little favour from God, but none come; or are pestered and plagued with the perpetual motions of some imperious lust, that dogs them every day, year after year, long time together; and though the Soul prays, begs, useth all means, yet can get no relief from God, who could with as much ease remove it as I can move a finger, and will not; but here lies the lust striking at the root of Grace, and makes the Soul question whether there be one spark in it or no: I say, how hard is it now for the Soul to keep from impatience and quarrelling? Jonah and Jeremiah could quarrel, Jer. 15.18. and 20.14, 15. for things of less concernment then damnation, denial of Grace, and Love of God; these were not their questions: If they so impatient, no wonder though these be, though none should be.

As to quarrelling, discontent, and impatience, if God denies his Love and Grace; because it shall not trouble us when I come to give my Arguments against Mr. Shepherd, this being another question, I shall speak a few words here: I said before, as I will not study how to be content ⟨p. 127⟩without Grace, and be damned, so I would not quarrel; impatience with God I will not justifie: O no, I will and do beg pardon of my God; I do admire and adore his Patience and long-suffering towards me, that he can bear so with my frowardness, it shall be his eternal praise: But O how hard a thing is it, when Souls are pressed and oppressed with temptations long and strong, whether from apprehensions of guilt, wrath, and lye looking and listning for a little favour from God, but none come; or are pestered and plagued with the perpetual motions of some imperious lust, that dogs them every day, year after year, long time together; and though the Soul prayes, begs, useth all means, yet can get no relief from God, who could with as much ease remove it as I can move a finger, and will not; but here lies the lust striking at the root of Grace, and makes the Soul question whether there be one spark in it or no: I say, how hard is it now for the Soul to keep from impatience and quarrelling? Jonah and Jeremiah could quarrel, Jer. 15.18. and 20.14, 15. for things of less concernment then damnation, denial of Grace, and Love of God; these were not their questions: If they so impatient, no wonder though these be, though none should be.

2. Though impatience and quarrelling for want of Christ, the Love of God, and Grace, be not good, yet if we examine such a person well, we may find a work of Faith even by this impatience; for doth not this impatience arise, because the will hath chosen, and love hath set it self upon a desirable object, which because the Soul cannot obtain as it desires, it grows impatient, being crossed in that which it chooseth and loveth? Thus Christ, complete Christ, the Love of God, Grace, Holiness, are the desirable Objects of this Soul; and because this Soul cannot enjoy them as it would, therefore it quarrels, and grows impatient, because it is crossed in its choice and love: But is not there a work of Faith, where the will hath thus chosen Christ, &c? Yea, it seems, the choice of the will and love are acted to a good degree, for we do not grow ⟨p. 128⟩impatient for being crossed in our object, but when the will and affections run out much after the object: So that though here be an infirmity, yet it is such an one, as we may gather Grace from it. ¹I remember Mr. Fenner, speaking of Zeal, saith, it is the impatient part of the Affections; and speaking against luke-warmness under that Head, saith he, Thou mayest pray to God for Grace, to heal thee of thy deadness, but though he do not heal thee thou canst bear it; but if thy affections were so far hereto, as to be zealous, they would be impatient, thou couldest never endure it. There is a difference between this and what Mr. Shepherd hath taught us. Thus sure it will be for any part of redemption, which the Soul is set upon with zeal to experience; impatience will be apt to move, if the will be long crossed. How often have we Parents born with our Children in sickness and pain, though they have been impatient and froward? Alas, the Child is sick, full of pain; And what is our sweet God? What is our patience to his? but especially when this impatience is, because the Soul cannot enjoy his Christ, Love, Image and Holiness, to walk with him?

2. Though impatience and quarrelling for want of Christ, the Love of God, and Grace, be not good, yet if we examine such a person well, we may find a work of Faith even by this impatience; for doth not this impatience arise, because the will hath chosen, and love hath set it self upon a desirable object, which because the Soul cannot obtain as it desires, it grows impatient, being crossed in that which it chuseth and loveth? Thus Christ, compleat Christ, the Love of God, Grace, Holiness, are the desirable Objects of this Soul; and because this Soul cannot enjoy them as it would, therefore it quarrels, and grows impatient, because it is crossed in its choice and love: But is not there a work of Faith, where the will hath thus chosen Christ, &c? Yea, it seems, the choice of the will and love are acted to a good degree, for we do not grow ⟨p. 128⟩impatient for being crossed in our object, but when the will and affections run out much after the object: So that though here be an infirmity, yet it is such an one, as we may gather Grace from it. ¹I remember Mr. Fenner, speaking of Zeal, saith, it is the impatient part of the Affections; and speaking against luke-warmness under that Head, saith he, Thou mayest pray to God for Grace, to heal thee of thy deadness, but though he do not heal thee thou canst bear it; but if thy affections were so far hereto, as to be zealous, they would be impatient, thou couldest never endure it. There is a difference between this and what Mr. Shepherd hath taught us. Thus sure it will be for any part of redemption, which the Soul is set upon with zeal to experience; impatience will beapt to move, if the will be long crossed. How often have we Parents born with our Children in sickness and pain, though they have been impatient and froward? Alas, the Child is sick, full of pain; And what is our sweet God? What is our patience to his? but especially when this impatience is, because the Soul cannot enjoy his Christ, Love, Image and Holiness, to walk with him?

1. 1Treatise of Affections, p. 151.

3. Grant it, that this quarrelling and impatience against God, in denying of Christ, his Love and Grace, be sinful, and ought not to be; as the poor Soul will not justify quarrelling, yet if it doth overtake the Soul, will Mr. Shepherd conclude, as it seems he doth, with Mr. Hooker, that the Soul is not rightly prepared for Christ, that sound Faith cannot be infused, till it be content to be disposed of to Hell, if Gods will be so, though all the forementioned preparatory works be found, and the will brought to accept the terms of Christ? For persons that God works upon, when adult, where these are not found, viz. Conviction of sin, and sense of the evil of sin, self-emptiness, a lost condition, willingness that Christ should separate between its soul and sin, allowing the rules I have given before, I will say, that person is not rightly prepared for Christ; for where there is no conviction of sin, no fears and sorrows under the sense of the evil of ⟨p. 129⟩sin, where no willingness that Christ should separate between the Soul and sin, where men have righteousness and abilities of their own, I am sure that man will never take Christ upon Christs terms; but will they say, though all these be, and the heart be willing to take him upon his terms (as, blessed be God, many thousands have felt it, and do find it, though they have found impatiences and quarrellings (being denied) too often break out) yet they are not rightly prepared, but their work is false, erroneous, unsound, because they find quarrellings and impatience? I would not be the man that should preach such doctrine; I would throw away my Pen before I would write it, before I would condemn so many thousands of the generation of sound Believers. To expunge Job, Jonah, Jeremiah, out of the number of Saints, for their quarrelling and impatience against God, I dare not, nor other Saints for these, or other infirmities, supposing they be but infirmities: yet I see Mr. Hooker hath cut off all from Faith and true preparation for Christ, because men have not attained to a higher pitch then non-quarrelling.

3. Grant it, that this quarrelling and impatience against God, in denying of Christ, his Love and Grace, be sinful, and ought not to be; as the poor Soul will not justifie quarrelling, yet if it doth overtake the Soul, will Mr. Shepherd conclude, as it seems he doth, with Mr. Hooker, that the Soul is not rightly prepared for Christ, that sound Faith cannot be infused, till it be content to be disposed of to Hell, if Gods will be so, though all the forementioned preparatory works be found, and the will brought to accept the terms of Christ? For persons that God works upon, when adult, where these are not found, viz. Conviction of sin, and sense of the evil of sin, self-emptiness, a lost condition, willingness that Christ should separate between its soul and sin, allowing the rules I have given before, I will say, that person is not rightly prepared for Christ; for where there is no conviction of sin, no fears and sorrows under the sense of the evil of ⟨p. 129⟩sin, where no willingness that Christ should separate between the Soul and sin, where men have righteousness and abilities of their own, I am sure that man will never take Christ upon Christs terms; but will they say, though all these be, and the heart be willing to take him upon his terms (as, blessed be God, many thousands have felt it, and do find it, though they have found impatiencies and quarrellings (being denied) too often break out) yet they are not rightly prepared, but their work is false, erroneous, unsound, because they find quarrellings and impatience? I would not be the man that should preach such doctrine; I would throw away my Pen before I would write it, before I would condemn so many thousands of the generation of sound Believers. To expunge Job, Jonah, Jeremiah, out of the number of Saints, for their quarrelling and impatience against God, I dare not, nor other Saints for these, or other infirmities, supposing they be but infirmities: yet I see Mr. Hooker hath cut off all from Faith and true preparation for Christ, because men have not attained to a higher pitch then non-quarrelling.

Before I come to the Anascevastick part, let me set down how the Soul under this sense of this misery and sin (the sight of the hell he seeth in himself) carries it self.

Before I come to the Anasceuastick part, let me set down how the Soul under this sense of this misery and sin (the sight of the hell he seeth in himself) carries it self.

First, It looks on it self without a Christ and love of God through him, as the most miserable Creature on the earth; O that I could out change with a Toad, that I were but in a state so good as that is; real groans, no Rhetorical strains.