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…

Faith is a gracious work of the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit therefore is the efficient cause or principal workman of faith; the Spirit doth not believe, but causeth us to believe; tis not principium quod, the principle which doth believe, but principium quo, the principle by which we do: the souls of all the elect (especially when humbled) are, of all other things, most unable to believe: nay look as before compunction and humiliation, Satan held the soul captive chiefly by its lusts and sins; so now when the Lord hath burnt those cords, and broken those chains, all the powers of darkness strengthen themselves, and keep the soul under mightily, by unbelief; What do you tell me of mercy? (saith the soul) tis mercy which I have continually resisted, desperately despised; why do you persuade me to believe? Alas! I cannot; tis true, all that which you say is true, if I could believe, but I cannot see Christ, I cannot come at Christ, I seek him in the means, but he forsakes ⟨p. 164⟩me there, and I am left of God desolate: and here beloved, the soul had not formerly so many excuses for its sin, as now it hath clouds of objections against believing; the Spirit therefore takes fast hold of the souls of all the elect, draws them unto Christ; and therefore it is called the spirit of faith, 2 Cor. 4.13. and that by an omnipotent and irresistible power. Isaiah 53.1. Who hath believed? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? that the soul must and shall believe now. Compel them to come in, saith the Lord of the Supper, Luke 14.23. This the Arminians will not believe, for (say they) the Question is not, Whether we are enabled to believe by grace? but, Whether it be after this manner, and by this means, viz. modo irresistibile? Consider therefore these Reasons, to clear this point.

Faith is a gracious work of the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit therefore is the efficient cause or principall workman of faith; the Spirit doth not beleeve, but causeth us to beleeve; tis not principium quod, the principle which doth beleeve, but principium quo, the principle by which we doe: the soules of all the elect (especially when humbled) are, of all other things, most unable to beleeve: nay look as before compunction and humiliation, Satan held the soule captive chiefly by its lusts and sinnes; so now when the Lord hath burnt those cords, and broken those chaines, all the powers of darknesse strengthen themselves, and keep the soule under mightily, by unbeliefe; What doe you tell me of mercy? (saith the soule) tis mercy which I have continually resisted, desperately despised; why doe you perswade me to beleeve? Alas! I cannot; tis true, all that which you say is true, if I could beleeve, but I cannot see Christ, I cannot come at Christ, I seek him in the meanes, but he forsakes