Preparation for sufferings. Or The best work in the worst times Wherein the necessity,…

But I shall briefly offer these seven things to your consideration, which will abundantly evince the reality of it, and at once both stop the slanderous mouths of ignorant men, and silence those Atheistical Surmises, which at any time Satan may inject into the hearts of Gods own people touching this matter. And first, let it be considered, that the Spirit of God hath represented to us this Work of Grace, under such Names and Notions in Scripture, as if they had been chosen purposely to obviate this Calumny. It's called a Creature, Gal. 6.15. a Man, 1 Pet. 3.4. a New Birth, Joh. 3.3. Christ formed in us, Gal. 4.19. all which express its reality, and that it is not a conceited thing. (2.) It appears to be real by the marvellous effects it hath upon a man, turning him both in Judgment, Will, Affections and Practice, quite counter to what he was before. This is evident in that famous instance of Paul, Gal. 1.23. which is abundantly attested and sealed by the constant experience of all gracious Souls, that are Witnesses of the truth hereof. (3.) A Divine and Almighty Power goes forth to produce and work it; and hence Faith is said to be of the Operation of ⟨p. 51⟩God, Col. 2.12. Yea, that the same Power which raised Jesus Christ from the Dead, goes to the production of it, Ephes. 1.19, 20. And if so, how much less than Blasphemy is it, to call it a Conceit or Fancy? Doth God set on work his infinite Power to beget a Fancy, or raise an imagination? (4.) Conceits and Whimsies abound most in men of weak Reason: Children, and such as are cracked in their Understandings have most of them: Strength of Reason banishes them, as the Sun doth Mists and Vapours: But now the more rational any gracious person is, by so much the more he is fixed, settled, and satisfied in the Grounds of Religion: Yea, there is the highest and purest Reason in Religion; and when this Change is wrought upon men, it's carried on in a rational way,