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

But to make good my Inference, or Conclusion: The number of Real Christians is but small.

Let us but consider how those who are called Christians answer the two Heads we have been upon; Preparations for Christ, and receiving of Christ, or union with Christ: What preparations have we observed in men for Christ? Some preparations there are, and they are know very well; when a man hath a Child born, he prepares a barrel of strong beer, if he be but a poor man; others prepare some bottles of wine; withal they prepare good meat, and good junkets; the Child then is Christened, made a Member of Christ in its baptism; then home they go, and eat up their good meat, and drink up their liquor, before prepared, it is well if none be drunk; and this is the preparation and union with Christ, which many thousands of those, who are called Christians, know, and they know no other preparation for Christ, or receiving of Christ, but this: when they grow up to years, they go to Church as Neighbours do, they must be Christians, because they know not what to be else, they must go whether the crowd carries them; if you will call them Christians you may, but know no more of Christ, saving the Name which they hear a Minister talk of, than a Heathen: As their Parents made them Christians, so because it is the fashion of the Country, they will do as their Fathers did by them, and their Neighbours do by theirs, if they have Children. I have given instance of one in Essex, a County famous for the Gospel, who of late years coming to my Father Ward to baptize his Child, my Father asked him, Why will you have your Child baptized? He answered, because others had their Children baptized. Then asked him, how many Gods there were? He answered, Ten. Then asked him, how many Commandments there were? (supposing his mistake) He answered, Two. Which is the First? He answered, Salvation: The Second I know not, but he gave him a Second. My Father asked him, if he gave him these answers to cross him? The man answered, No truly Mr. Ward, if I knew how to answer you better I would. The civil man, whom Mr. Pemble mentions, was but little better. If Ministers did but enquire into the ⟨p. 230⟩knowledge of all their Parishioners in England, they would soon find I have spoken but the truth. Thus for want of Catechizing, and Gospel-Discipline, abundance of Christians, so called, differ but little from Heathens.