A41331:793
The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…
The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God is drawing the soul to Christ ... : to which is added, in the epistle to the reader, a few words concerning Socinianism ... / by Giles Firmin ...The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God is drawing the soul to Christ ... : to which is added, in the epistle to the reader, a few words concerning Socinianisme ... / by Giles Firmin ...
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1670
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, Thou receivest Christ Lord and King, thou sayest, as well as Saviour or Priest. Take heed of generals; we have a saying, Dolus latet in universalibus, if true any where, it is true here; for this is such a deceit as ruins thousands in their supposed faith, and closing with Christ: Ask them, do you receive Jesus Christ for your Saviour and your Lord? Yes, they do so: but this only in general.
Secondly, Thou receivest Christ Lord and King, thou sayest, as well as Saviour or Priest. Take heed of generals; we have a saying, Dolus latet in universalibus, if true any where, it is true here; for this is such a deceit as ruines thousands in their supposed faith, and closing with Christ: Ask them, do you receive Jesus Christ for your Saviour and your Lord? Yes, they do so: but this only in general.
Quest. But how shall we find out this deceit?
Answ. Bring down this general into particulars, and then we shall find rottenness enough. I will but name a few Heads, not all, you may enlarge.
First, Carry this Lord to thy particular bosom lust, to thy special creature-idol, see, is Christ Lord there? hast received him King, to subdue and cast out that special lust of thine? be it the sin of thy constitution, or the sin that attends thy calling, be the lust what it will, the Peccatum in deliciis, the Benjamin of thy Soul, in which the life of the old man is bound up, I could part with all but this: Is it an ambitious, a vain-glorious lust? Is it an unclean lust? Is it a covetous worldly lust? Is it a bibbing, a potting lust, or any other? Try here, Christian, for here have many Professors been woefully deceived, they have received Jesus Christ the Lord, yea, in general; but, as in Grammar, when a general Rule hath been laid, presently comes in the Excipe's, so in these Professors, Christ is received King and Lord, Excipe, except in this particular lust, this particular idol-creature, upon which the heart is set. As in London, though such a one was Lord Mayor of London, yet there