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

I grant it, this is one thing that moves the will in the real Christian to embrace Christ, the privative good, it shall enjoy by him, delivering of the Soul from wrath to come, and none ever did close with him, but had an eye to this, and this most affected also when it comes first to him; yet in this is a free and willing choice, for here is good to be enjoyed; but if this be all, and the Soul seeth nothing else in him, I doubt this will not hold; when these fears grow off, the heart will back again, and be weary of its Match.

Thirdly, As it is an advised and free, so it is a full choice, understand me rightly; by the word full I do not mean such a perfection, as if the whole of the Soul did so close with Christ, and embrace him, that there were nothing in the will cross to this reception of Christ; for we are but in part renewed, though we are quickened, Ephes. 2.1. yet so quickened, as there remains a body of death behind, Rom. 7.24. and the unrenewed, dead part will never make this choice: but what Philip said to the Eunuch, Acts 8.37. If thou believest with all thine heart. So here the Believer chooseth with all his heart: Such is the prevalency of the will in its choice, that there is not many times so much as any actual resistance of the unrenewed part felt, to oppose this choice; but as if there were no such thing as a corrupt unrenewed part to oppose, the whole Soul comes off fully in the choice of Christ; the heart is not divided, there is not a heart and a heart; as in those hypocritical penitents, Jer. 3.10. Her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned to me with her whole heart, but feignedly. Here was no full turning, the whole heart went not after God, but was divided, and to be sure God had the least part. As in repenting, so in believing, the whole heart comes to Christ. If a rich person, and every way an object of love, should ask a poor woman, wilt thou have me for thy Husband? and is in earnest; as if Boaz should have put that question to Ruth, what would have been her answer? Yea, with all my heart; there is a full