An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

yet, if we believe our Saviour, there must be internal teachings and tractions from the Father, to make us truly come to him: All in the Church are by the Gospel called to be Believers, & so to the [Greek or Hebrew], to the Royal dignity, to be Sons of God, Joh. 1.12. to the Divine Offices, to be Kings and Priests unto God, Rev. 1.6. But this believing is produced by that internal efficacious call, which calleth things that are not as though they ⟨p. 518⟩were; I mean, which calleth Faith into being where it was not before. But then saith Mr. Sherlock: The Sinner must only wait till he is called, and so his work is at an end for this time. To which I answer, His work is not at an end, because he is still to wait; if the Scripture, which makes Faith the free-gift of God, be true, there is no nearer passage to Heaven, then by waiting upon God for Faith in the use of means. The Saints of God, if we observe their posture in the Scripture, endeavour all they do in a way of dependence upon the Grace of God; a famous instance is David in the 119. Psalm: With my whole heart have I sought thee, saith he: But O let me not wander from thy Commandments, vers. 10. I will run the way of thy Commandments but do thou enlarge my heart, Vers. 32. Consider how I love thy Precepts, but quicken me according to thy loving kindness, vers. 159. Lord I have hoped for thy Salvation, and done thy Commandments, vers. 166. all his endeavours were under Grace; and if Believers in all their endeavours wait upon the Grace of God, much more should Sinners wait upon God for Faith in the use of means.¹

yet, if we believe our Saviour, there must be internal teachings and tractions from the Father, to make us truly come to him: All in the Church are by the Gospel called to be Believers, & so to the 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, to the Royal dignity, to be Sons of God, Joh. 1.12. to the Divine Offices, to be Kings and Priests unto God, Rev. 1.6. But this believing is produced by that internal efficacious call, which calleth things that are not as though they