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

Try those who are called Christians by the next thing we were upon, their receiving of Christ, when prepared for him, see if the number of them be greater than we mention. Receiving of Christ, what is that? Do you mean Faith? Yes, I do mean Gospel-faith in Christ: nay, then your Conclusion which you drew, that the number of Real Christians was but small, is very false. For your preparations, we cannot say much for them, but for faith in Christ, we can speak enough for it; all the Ministers in England shall not make us believe but we have faith, ay and it may be will swear by their faith they shall not. Define faith which way you will, they are for you. If you will call it an Assent to what Truths soever God reveals, &c. in a lax way: they do assent to their Bible, that it is the Word of God; that all which is contained in it is the Mind and Will of God; they did never doubt of it in all their lives; and it may be will say, it were no matter though he were hanged that doth doubt of it: but if you come more close to tell them, what the ablest of the Popish ⟨p. 233⟩party tell us is required to make that assent to the divine and supernatural Mysteries revealed, to be Divine faith, not only they, but many others, who make light of Dogmatical faith, had need examine again whether their faith be divine. De essentia Fidei Christianae est, ut innitatur primae veritati revelanti tanquam rationi formally credendi: ¹And adds presently, Ad eliciendum talem acium necessario requiritur special auxilium praevenientis gratiae: Gods general concourse will not serve the turn, saith Alvarez; both of these parts he proves partly from Aquinas and Austin. In this point Alvarez to me appears very Orthodox, and according to him, I doubt not to affirm, there is but little Dogmatical divine faith in Christendom, though many Professors make a tush at it. But if we grant they have this faith, such as it is, yet this is not enough to make saving faith; then we are to seek still; and that is proved by our Protestant Divines against the Papists,

Try those who are called Christians by the next thing we were upon, their receiving of Christ, when prepared for him, see if the number of them be greater than we mention. Receiving of Christ, what is that? Do you mean Faith? Yes, I do mean Gospel-faith in Christ: nay, then your Conclusion which you drew, that the number of Real Christians was but small, is very false. For your preparations, we cannot say much for them, but for faith in Christ, we can speak enough for it; all the Ministers in England shall not make us believe but we have faith, ay and it may be will swear by their faith they shall not. Define faith which way you will, they are for you. If you will call it an Assent to what Truths soever God reveals, &c. in a laxe way: they do assent to their Bible, that it is the Word of God; that all which is contained in it is the Mind and Will of God; they did never doubt of it in all their lives; and it may be will say, it were no matter though he were hang'd that doth doubt of it: but if you come more close to tell them, what the ablest of the Popish