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

This Doctrine turns out all the Promises, and all the Threatenings out of the Bible, as to Believers, and sets up such Divinity as came not into the thoughts of God to declare to the Sons of men. Strange, that when man was in his pure estate, no sin yet had crept into his Soul, yet then when God gives him a Commandment to obey, he, to keep man to obedience, adds this threat, Thou shalt dye. And that now when sin hath got in, and hath still such a hold even in those who are regenerate, Sons, and do truly repent, and besides sin dwelling in them, live amongst such varieties of temptations to draw forth sin which Adam never had, that now persons must be put to try their Sonship and godly sorrow by this, that though there were neither Hell nor Heaven, yet they would serve God and repent, is very strange. Yet farther to answer these worthy men.

This Doctrine turns out all the Promises, and all the Threatnings out of the Bible, as to Believers, and sets up such Divinity as came not into the thoughts of God to declare to the Sons of men. Strange, that when man was in his pure estate, no sin yet had crept into his Soul, yet then when God gives him a Commandment to obey, he, to keep man to obedience, adds this threat, Thou shalt dye. And that now when sin hath got in, and hath still such a hold even in those who are regenerate, Sons, and do truly repent, and besides sin dwelling in them, live amongst such varieties of temptations to draw forth sin which Adam never had, that now persons must be put to try their Sonship and godly sorrow by this, that though there were neither Hell nor Heaven, yet they would serve God and repent, is very strange. Yet farther to answer these worthy men.

First, I grant that the true Children of God do walk with God, they do serve him, worship him, they do repent when they fall, without being moved with Arguments from Hell or Heaven being actually in their thoughts; the excellency of God and Christ, the love they bear to him, the content they have and find in pleasing of him, the beauty they see in a conformity to his holy Will and blessed Image, carries them on, without having Heaven or Hell, reward or punishment, actually in their eye, but what my vile heart would do if there were neither Heaven nor Hell, reward nor punishment (as these men say) I cannot