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

But in drawing up my Conclusion for my saved state, the Minor Proposition, upon which the stress lies, I cannot assent to it by a Divine faith, as I did to the other, because it is not contained in any Text, that I do believe, and may be forced out of the Text by necessary consequence. ⟨p. 281⟩Again, to say I am as sensible of sincerity, of saving grace, as I am sensible of sin, therefore I can as truly assent to the Minor from what I feel, that I have sound faith, as I did assent from my feeling, that I had and have sin; this the heart will shrink at, and is afraid to speak so boldly, though it may be truth, that he is sensible of Grace.

Thirdly, When a Christian by close examination is pent up to give answer, yea, or nay, whether he have not so received Christ, or such a work of faith is wrought in him, as you by opening it, and questioning of him, would persuade him; Arguments pro and con being weighed, the Arguments for the Affirmative, that such a work is wrought, prove the heavier, and cast the scale in the judgment of his own Reason, and Conscience, which he must not belly, which doth witness, and his own feeling testifies this in him. But then here are two things: 1. Though the Soul doth assent to the Affirmative, yet he seeth much lye in the other Scale for the Negative, which makes his assent that it is not so strong. 2. He doth answer to what is in him, according to his feeling, or spiritual sense, what work is actually there, and if he denies his own feeling, then Conscience will tell him he lies; and it is a vile thing to deny the work of God which he feels. But this Proposition, Christ is mine, pardon is mine, is not a work in him, it is not felt by spiritual sense and experience, as the other is, and therefore he less minds that, as being in no such great danger of denying a work of God in him, or having Conscience tell him he lies, in denying what he feels, and cannot but experience is wrought in him.

Thirdly, When a Christian by close examination is pent up to give answer, yea, or nay, whether he have not so received Christ, or such a work of faith is wrought in him, as you by opening it, and questioning of him, would perswade him; Arguments pro and con being weighed, the Arguments for the Affirmative, that such a work is wrought, prove the heavier, and cast the scale in the judgment of his own Reason, and Conscience, which he must not bely, which doth witness, and his own feeling testifies this in him. But then here are two things: 1. Though the Soul doth assent to the Affirmative, yet he seeth much lye in the other Scale for the Negative, which makes his assent that it is not so strong. 2. He doth answer to what is in him, according to his feeling, or spiritual sense, what work is actually there, and if he denies his own feeling, then Conscience will tell him he lyes; and it is a vile thing to deny the work of God which he feels. But this Proposition, Christ is mine, pardon is mine, is not a work in him, it is not felt by spiritual sense and experience, as the other is, and therefore he less minds that, as being in no such great danger of denying a work of God in him, or having Conscience tell him he lyes, in denying what he feels, and cannot but experience is wrought in him.