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

Secondly, The Child of God doth experience, and presseth still daily more and more for his experiencing of those Truths to which he doth assent: So his experience returns this, an addition of strength to his assent.

To conclude this Head: Christians do not make light of Historical faith, O pray that God would give you more of this faith, and streng then it mightily; by that time you have payed as dear for it as some others have done, you will value it at a great rate: Pray, I say, read good books that may help you; but above all, let me commend this as the surest and most approved way to help you, labour to experience Christ in all his work of Redemption; the more you grow here, the stronger grows your faith of assent; you will be more able to ward and bear off Satan's blows, and answer the Objections which arise from thy unbelieving Atheistical heart: you may find Arguments, and help your self to deal with an Atheist, by reading of books, and in that you will do well: but you will never be armed sufficiently against Satan, the unbelief and Atheism of thine own heart without this. When I was a Boy, I never cared to play at Cudgels with him who was left-handed, and looked a squint with his eyes, I could not tell where to have him, I might receive a blow where I was not aware of him; for others I did not much care, unless too big for me to beat my Cudgels to my head. For Atheistical men, you may make a shift to hold up the Cudgels against them, by what Arguments you can invent, and read in Authors, though sometimes they are so impudent, bold and subtle in arguing, that they would seem to beat your Cudgels to your head; but from my own woeful heart, and squint-eyed, left handed Satan, I have felt such blows come, that no Atheist without me could strike; I may read books long enough before I should find an answer to these Arguments: when a man hath experienced the Redemption of Christ, the Promises, the new Covenant (for there are the blows given, not about the Commandments, for there is a light within, our Reason, ⟨p. 169⟩which helps to confirm the equity and reason of the Command) this man hath a Weapon both for defence and offence: of this experimental feeling of the power of Christs Redemption, I can say as David to Ahimelech,