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

Answ. In answer to it: may be you will say, because they are simple Mechanics, they have no skill in Logic, if they had, they would soon see the gross absurdity they commit, such for which the boys would hiss them out of the Schools: but friend, you are mistaken, that is not all the reason, those who know what belongs to syllogizing as well as you, and know that it is a gross absurdity, to yield the premises and deny the Conclusion, yet they cannot do it, or are afraid to do it: There are other grounds whence this rises, as experiences have proved.

Answ. In answer to it: may be you will say, because they are simple Mechanicks, they have no skill in Logick, if they had, they would soon see the gross absurdity they commit, such for which the boyes would hiss them out of the Schools: but friend, you are mistaken, that is not all the reason, those who know what belongs to syllogizing as well as you, and know that it is a gross absurdity, to yield the premises and deny the Conclusion, yet they cannot do it, or are afraid to do it: There are other grounds whence this rises, as experiences have proved.

First, From the greatness of the things a man concludes. If once I conclude, Christ is mine, what will this imply? Then God is my God, his Love is mine, Peace, Pardon, Justification, Adoption, all the benefits of the new Covenant, yea, Heaven, Glory, all are mine, for in Christ all the Promises are Yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. I must conclude all these, which are so infinitely great in themselves and my esteem, and which is yet more, how few are they that ever shall partake of these things, and must I be one of these few, to whom these great things do belong? I dare not apply them, I tremble at the Conclusion: The greatness, the glorious splendour of the Sun; dazzles the eye, the eye cannot look on it, so do the greatness, the glory of these things, the eye of a mans reason, puts by the actings of Reason, that it cannot conclude here as in other things: When Jacob's Sons told him, Joseph is yet alive, and is Governor over all the Land of Egypt, Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not,