The sound believer, or, A treatise of evangelical conversion discovering the work of Christs…The sound beleever, or, A treatise of evangelicall conversion discovering the work of Christs…

Thus humiliation is necessary in this measure mentioned. Not that I deny any subsequent humiliation, after a Christian is in Christ, arising from the sense of Gods favour in Christ, then which nothing makes a Christian of an evangelical spirit more ashamed of himself, yet I dare not exclude this which is antecedent, arising from the spirit of power immediately subduing the soul to Christ, that it may be exalted by Christ, 1 Pet. 5.6. It is true, all things that pertain to life and godliness are received by faith, 2 Pet. 1.3. yet faith it self is a saving work, which is not received by another precedent faith. Faith therefore is to be excepted, not only as begotten in us, but as it is in the begetting of it in the conviction and humiliation of every sinner.

Thus humiliation is necessary in this measure mentioned. Not that I deny any subsequent humiliation, after a Christian is in Christ, arising from the sense of Gods favour in Christ, then which nothing makes a Christian of an evangelicall spirit more ashamed of himselfe, yet I dare not exclude this which is antecedent, arising from the spirit of power immediately subduing the soule to Christ, that it may be exalted by Christ, 1 Pet. 5.6. It is true, all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse are received by faith, 2 Pet. 1.3. yet faith it self is a saving work, which is not received by another precedent faith. Faith therefore is to be excepted, not onely as begotten in us, but as it is in the bege•ting of it in the conviction and humiliation of every sinner.

Hence see what is the great hindrance between the mercy of God,¹