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

May I now cry out, Good God, what Merchant adventurers are poor sinners? Surely it doth not at all become me; I must look upon the Rule in the Word, and endeavour to do my duty: Duties belong to us, and issues to God: But to pass on, according to Mr. Shepherd, it seems assurance it self cannot secure us, to which the bare recital of Mr. Shepherds words will be answer enough: they are these; The Call of Christ is the ground by which we first believe: It is a constant ground of Faith; For, if you come to Christ, because you have assurance, or because you feel such and such Graces, and heavenly Impressions of Gods Spirit in you, you may then many a day and year keep at a distance from Christ, and lye without Christ, for the feeling of Graces and assurance of favour are not constant: His meaning is very plain, the Call of Christ is the ground of our first believing; and it ⟨p. 526⟩is a constant ground, if by after renewed acts of Faith we come to Christ, because we have assurance; we may many a day live without Christ, for assurance is no constant thing, as the Call is. The Author, I suppose, took out a little out of Mr. Shepherd, not to interpret him, but to sport with him: Afterwards we have the Author concluding from Mr. Shepherds particular Call, That the general Call signifies nothing; that there is no foundation for our Faith in Christ, but this particular Call. To which I answer; The general promises of the Gospel signify Gods will to save Believers; and therefore are a sufficient foundation for a man to believe in Christ for Salvation; a greater warrant we cannot have for it, then Gods own Charter sealed with the Blood of his Son Jesus Christ: But that which works this Faith in us, is a special Call, or internal Grace, which shines into the heart, and calls forth Faith into being.

May I now cry out, Good God, what Merchant adventurers are poor sinners? Surely it doth not at all become me; I must look upon the Rule in the Word, and endeavour to do my duty: Duties belong to us, and issues to God: But to pass on, according to Mr. Shephard, it seems assurance it self cannot secure us, to which the bare recital of Mr. Shephards words will be answer enough: they are these; The Call of Christ is the ground by which we first believe: It is a constant ground of Faith; For, if you come to Christ, because you have assurance, or because you feel such and such Graces, and heavenly Impressions of Gods Spirit in you, you may then many a day and year keep at a distance from Christ, and lye without Christ, for the feeling of Graces and assurance of favour are not constant: His meaning is very plain, the Call of Christ is the ground of our first believing; and it