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

Thirdly, The third thing required to the reception of Christ is, the approbation of him as good, the best good, such a good as exceeds all that good which the Soul found in that term from which it was called, Christ is not proposed as an object of bare and naked truth to be assented to, but as a sovereign and saving truth, to do good to men: The desire of all flesh, Hag. 2.7. When the Soul was called from the term in which God finds it, it was called from good; so it apprehended it, and approved it; were it the pleasure of his lusts, this was bonum jucundum, this held him fast: was it profit, this was bonum utile: good there was, be it true, be it false in it self, it was so to him, and this held him fast, made the work so difficult, so strange to him why he should be called away, he is well where he is; now the Soul must have such good in Christ (to whom he is called) laid open to it, as do counterpoise, nay, out-bid and excel all that good which he found in the term from which he was called, and the Judgment, the practical Judgment (not only Absolutum, but Comparatum) must approve of it to be so too, else the Soul will never be soundly taken off from that term from which he is called, nor ever close truly with Christ, never receive him to whom he is called. Christ must come into the will, he must be received there, else he is never savingly received; ⟨p. 170⟩but if he comes there, the will must be certainly informed that he is good, and so good, to answer whatever he calls for there, or else he shall never be admitted there: Who will show us any good? Psal. 4.6. It is not only the question of wicked men in the good they seek after, but it is the question of every man as man, every mans will is enquiring after good, ¹one good or other. Doctor Ames saith true, Objectum materiale Fidei est immediate aliquod Axioma sub ratione veri: sed illud in que principaliter terminatur Fides, de quo & propter quod assensus praebetur illi axiomati per fidem, est ens incomp exum sub ratione boni. Principalis igitur terminus in quem tendit actus credentis, est res ipsa quae in axiomate praecipue spectatur. Let the understanding assent never so much to all these things concerning Christ as true, if the Judgment doth not approve of them as good, and best good, Christ will never be truly received.