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

First, That though there are in these days in England a company of as proud, high flown, self conceited Professors, blown up with the apprehensions of their own abilities, as ever England bare, nay, never the like, and so these have need of a rousing and sharp Pen; yet remember there are also a company of poor, trembling, laden Christians, sitting in darkness; others with the conflicts they have with long and strong temptations from within, from without, are almost quite discouraged, and beaten out of all hopes; what the Word commands us to preach and write we must do so, let sin, corruptions, discontents, &c: have no better language than the Word gives them; lay on duty, press to duty, we crave no favour here; only let us preach and write as those that feel the burdens of tempted Souls, [The Ladies hand doth well with the Lyons heart in a Chirurgeon] it is an ease to a laden Christian, worried with his temptations, (let them rise whence they will) when he hears a man preach, or reads an Author, that speaks with some compassion, as one that felt in his own experience what it is to be under temptations; reprove ⟨p. 310⟩the sin as much as you will, but pity the Christian who is conflicting against it, and cannot get victory. Some Ministers (I know it, for they have said it) never had so much as a temptation to that corruption, which others for twenty, yea, thirty years, have continually been assaulted with, hath made them spend their days with grief, and years with sighing, as David saith, Psal. 31.10. It is true, I can conceive what a terrible pain he must suffer, who hath a great ragged stone crowding from the Kidney, through the Ureter into the Bladder, but yet I cannot tell what it is like him who feels it. Ministers, and other Christians, may think that such or such corruptions and temptations are strong (yet I observe some have not so much judgment) but no man knows what they are, as those who lye under them, those who feel them, and are combating with them. Of all Christians, give me the tempted Christian; those who have experienced all kind of temptations. Some men, their infirm bodies, their constitutions and employments, take them off from some violent corruptions and temptations, that other mens bodies, constitutions and employments expose them to: let me hear and read these latter sort preach and write of such corruptions and temptations.

First, That though there are in these dayes in England a company of as proud, high flown, self conceited Professors, blown up with the apprehensions of their own abilities, as ever England bare, nay, never the like, and so these have need of a rowzing and sharp Pen; yet remember there are also a company of poor, trembling, laden Christians, sitting in darkness; others with the conflicts they have with long and strong temptations from within, from without, are almost quite discouraged, and beaten out of all hopes; what the Word commands us to preach and write we must do so, let sin, corruptions, discontents, &c: have no better language than the Word gives them; lay on duty, press to duty, we crave no favour here; only let us preach and write as those that feel the burdens of tempted Souls, [The Ladies hand doth well with the Lyons heart in a Chirurgeon] it is an ease to a laden Christian, worried with his temptations, (let them rise whence they will) when he hears a man preach, or reads an Author, that speaks with some compassion, as one that felt in his own experience what it is to be under temptations; reprove