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

Hence rose that Position, which hath been so stiffly maintained, If a Christian should fall into a scandalous foul sin, yet he must not let go his assurance of his interest in Christ, of the love of God, but that he ought to hold firm. Very true, if faith be the particular persuasion and assurance, that Christ is mine, then it ought to be so; for every mans duty, and so his duty, is to believe; he must not be an unbeliever, though he hath fallen: But what danger lies in this? Some rotten bold Hypocrite may be will say, he holds his assurance at such a time; but show me that real sound Christian that ever did so, till by sound repentance, and laying hold upon the blood of Atonement with true faith, he had recovered himself, and made up ⟨p. 286⟩his peace with God. When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren, said Christ to Peter Luke 22.32. rising from scandalous great falls, is as it were another conversion, or a now conversion, a man shall meet with works now more terrible, it may be, than in his first conversion: Neither David, nor Peter, knew such at the first conversion, that they did in their rising from their scandalous falls. But no more of this now.

Hence rose that Position, which hath been so stifly maintained, If a Christian should fall into a scandalous foul sin, yet he must not let go his assurance of his interest in Christ, of the love of God, but that he ought to hold firm. Very true, if faith be the particular perswasion and assurance, that Christ is mine, then it ought to be so; for every mans duty, and so his duty, is to believe; he must not be an unbeliever, though he hath fallen: But what danger lyes in this? Some rotten bold Hypocrite may be will say, he holds his assurance at such a time; but shew me that real sound Christian that ever did so, till by sound repentance, and laying hold upon the blood of Atonement with true faith, he had recovered himself, and made up ⟨p. 286⟩his peace with God. When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren, said Christ to Peter Luke 22.32. rising from scandalous great falls, is as it were another conversion, or a now conversion, a man shall meet with works now more terrible, it may be, than in his first conversion: Neither David, nor Peter, knew such at the first conversion, that they did in their rising from their scandalous falls. But no more of this now.