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

When Sea-men fear Rocks, or Shoals, they go to their Plates, and look there whether they give notice of any Rocks or Shoals, if they do not in places well known, where Ships go frequently, on they go: Once it was our case, falling into a Current, where the water foaming, some suspected Rocks; to the Plates they went, and found no mention of any Rocks there, on we went boldly, and no danger. Conversion of Souls is a work wherein Ministers trade every day, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Thomas Hooker, Mr. Shepherd, have given us warning of Rocks, here is a selfish Rock will split the Soul, saith Mr. Rogers: We reverence the graces and abilities of these worthy men; but are there Rocks? Let us go to our Plates the holy Scriptures; Christ and his Apostles have gone this way oftentimes before us, and knew where dangers lay sufficiently; Do they give notice of these Rocks, which these worthy men do? Not the least mention of any such things: then let Souls go on boldly, O do not trouble them, and scare them with more fears than need; they will have fears enough of a shipwreck rise from other Rocks, though we do not make new ones.

When Sea-men fear Rocks, or Shoals, they go to their Plats, and look there whether they give notice of any Rocks or Shoals, if they do not in places well known, where Ships go frequently, on they go: Once it was our case, falling into a Current, where the water foaming, some suspected Rocks; to the Plats they went, and found no mention of any Rocks there, on we went boldly, and no danger. Conversion of Souls is a work wherein Ministers trade every day, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Thomas Hooker, Mr. Shepherd, have given us warning of Rocks, here is a selvish Rock will split the Soul, saith Mr. Rogers: We reverence the graces and abilities of these worthy men; but are there Rocks? Let us go to our Plats the holy Scriptures; Christ and his Apostles have gone this way oftentimes before us, and knew where dangers lay sufficiently; Do they give notice of these Rocks, which these worthy men do? Not the least mention of any such things: then let Souls go on boldly, O do not trouble them, and scare them with more fears than need; they will have fears enough of a shipwrack rise from other Rocks, though we do not make new ones.

Arg. 2. That which no Christian can possibly make out whether it be so or no, that cannot be (a condition) required to saving Conversion or Faith.