The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…

Nor do I hereby run into the Frenches of that wicked Generation of the Fa•• lists, denying all Inherent Graces; Evidence of Favour ⟨p. 109⟩from any Christians Obedience, or Sanctification in Holy Duties; or that a Christian should Profanely cast off all Duties, because they cannot save themselves by them: No, no, the Lord will search with Candles one Day for such Sons of Darkness, and exclude such foolish Virgins that they have neither Oil in their Vessels, nor Light in their Lamps: I only speak of that Good, that Righteousness which is rested in without Christ, and lifts up Men above Christ, which in Deed and in Truth is not true Righteousness, but only a true Shadow of it. And therefore as Beza well observes from Rom. 9.32. Why did not Israel, that followed after Righteousness attain it? Because they sought it not by Faith, but as it were by the Works of the Law: they were not fruits of sincere Obedience to the Law, but as it were the Works of the Law; now this, saith the Apostle, ver. 33. is the Stumbling-Stone in Zion. Christ will have all Flesh veil, and be stripped Naked, and made nothing before him, before they shall ever be built upon him; now this Men stumble at, they must bring something to him, they will not be Vile, Emptiness and Nothingness, that he may be all to them; verily observe your selves and you shall find, if there be little Humiliation, there is little of Christ; if much Humiliation, much of Christ; if unconstant Humiliation, uncertain fruition of Christ; if real Humiliation, real possession of Christ; if false Humiliation, imaginary fruition of Christ. Know it, you cannot Perish if you fall not short here, you must Perish if you do.

Nor do I hereby run into the Frenches of that wicked Generation of the Fa•• lists, denying all Inherent Graces; Evidence of Favour ⟨p. 109⟩from any Christians Obedience, or Sanctification in Holy Duties; or that a Christian should Profanely cast off all Duties, because they cannot save themselves by them: No, no, the Lord will search with Candles one Day for such Sons of Darkness, and exclude such foolish Virgins that they have neither Oyl in their Vessels, nor Light in their Lamps: I only speak of that Good, that Righteousness which is rested in without Christ, and lifts up Men above Christ, which in Deed and in Truth is not true Righteousness, but only a true Shadow of it. And therefore as Beza well observes from