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

Thus it is Christs out bidding of Flesh and the Creature which strikes the main stroke in the answering of the Call. And now the will being renewed, and the Spirit present in this work, to make clear to the will, the will comes off most sweetly, freely, never acted more freely, with more sweetness than now, though still there lye a corrupt old Adam, that is cross to this, but at this time it is so overpowered with Grace, that it appeareth not in the actings of it; and the dominion of it is for ever broken.

Thus it is Christs out bidding of Flesh and the Creature which strikes the main stroke in the answering of the Call. And now the will being renewed, and the Spirit present in this work, to make clear to the will, the will comes off most sweetly, freely, never acted more freely, with more sweetness than now, though still there lye a corrupt old Adam, that is cross to this, but at this time it is so overpowred with Grace, that it appeareth not in the actings of it; and the dominion of it is for ever broken.

Jansenius moves this Question, ¹Quid fit medicinale Christi Adjutorium secundum Substantiam? Or thus: Wherein lieth the efficacy of that which the Schools call gratia efficax? What is it that makes it so? He answers in blessed Austin's words, Victrix delectatio, an overcoming, a conquering delight: or thus in his own words, It is nothing else but a certain heavenly and unspeakable sweetness, or spiritual delight, by which the will is prevented and bowed to will and do whatever the Lord commands it to will and do. He spends eleven Chapters in proving, that this conquering delight, and heavenly sweetness, which the Lord lets in to the Soul, is that which makes Grace to be efficacious in Conversion, and in overcoming any temptation: he that reads his Chapters will find how experimentally he writes: Now if by this conquering delight, and heavenly sweetness, he understands the joy, the rest, the sweetness the Soul finds in possessing the Object which it loves and desires, as when God shines upon the Soul, and gives it to know his Love; this is rarely found in the first Conversion now, though in the Gospel-Converts it was known, to commend the Gospel, in the first preaching of it, to fit them for sufferings for it. The Apostles being to travel up and down, could not abide fixed with them to help them; but yet a conquering, an out-bidding Good, having a pleasing sweetness attends it, the Lord doth present to the will, which draws the will sweetly after it, and makes Calling to be effectual, and without it there can be no sound Conversion; by this the Soul seeth a reason to move to this term, unto which it is called; for all that pretended good, which held the Soul fast in the term from which it was called, is all answered, out bid, and conquered.