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…

Now observe it, this very coming, this very motion of the soul to Christ, (a grace which Adam neither had, nor had power to use) is Faith; the Spirit of Christ moving or drawing the soul, the soul is thence moved, and so comes to Christ, John 6.64, 65. The soul by sin is averted from God, and turns his back upon God; the turning or coming of the soul (not unto duties of holiness, for that is obedience properly, but) unto God ⟨p. 180⟩in Christ again, is properly and formally Faith. All evil is in mans self, and from himself; all mans good is in Christ, and from Christ. The souls of all Gods elect, seeing these things, forsake and renounce themselves, in whom and for whom is all their evil, and come unto Christ, in whom and from whom is all their good. This motion of the soul between these extremes, through that vast and infinite distance that is between a sinful wretched man, and a blessed Saviour, is faith; for by faith principally we pass from death to life, John 5.24. The soul of a poor sinner wounded and humbled, sometime knows not Christ, and then cries out as those, Act. 2.37. What shall I do? Whither shall I go? sometimes dares not, sometimes cannot, it hath no heart to stir or come; it therefore looks up, and longs, and goes unto the Lord to draw it, like poor Ephraim, Jer. 31.18. Oh turn me Lord, and then I shall be turned. Lam. 5.21. and this is the lowest and least degree of faith. But at some other time, the soul mourning for want of the Lord, the Lord comes unto it with great clearness, glory, and sweetness of grace and peace; & hence the soul cannot but come and close with him, and cry Rabboni, and say, Oh Lord, is it thy good pleasure to have respect to such a clod of earth, to tender such riches of grace ⟨p. 181⟩to one so unworthy, and to bid, nay to beseech me to come and take? Lord behold I come: This is faith. Would you have proof of it? Consider therefore these particulars.