part of his obedience to the will of God though it be done in much weakness because though the beleivers hand is weak Eph. 6.6 Rom. 6.17 yet his heart is right the Hypocrite may have the most active hand but the beleiver hath the most faithful and sincere heart 3. A man may obey the law and yet have no love to the Law-giver a carnal heart may do the command of God but he cannot love God and therefore cannot do it arigt for love to God is the foundation and spring of all true obedience every command of God is to be done in love this is the fulfilling of the law Rom. 13.10 The Apostle saith Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned these seem to be acts of the highest obedience yet if I have not love it profits me nothing 1 Cor. 13.3 4. I might add that a man may be much in obedience from finister and base selfish ends as the Pharises prayed much gave much alms fasted much but our Lord Christ tells us that it was that they might be seen of men and have glory of men Mat. 6.2 5 16. most of the Hypocrites piety empties it self into vain glory and therefore he is but an empty vine in all he doth because he bringeth forth fruit to himself Hos 10.1 It is the end that justifies the action indeed a good end cannot make a bad action good but yet the want of a good end makes a good action bad Now then if a man may obey the commands of God partially and by halves if he may do it and yet be in his natural state if he may obey the commands of God and yet not love God if the ends of his obedience may be sinful and unwarrantable then a man may be much in obeying the Commands of God and yet be but almost a Christian 19. A man may be sanctified and yet be but almost a Christian every kind of Sanctification doth not make a man a new creature for many are sanctified that are never renewed You read in the 10. Chap. to the Hebrews and the 29. vers of them that count the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing But doth not the Scripture tell us that both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Heb. 2.11 and can a man be one with Christ and yet be but almost a Christian Sol. To this I answer you must know there is a twofold work of sanctification spoken of in Scripture The one common and ineffectual The other special and effectual Rom. 8.13 1 Pet. 1.2 Heb. 13.21 That work of sanctification which is true and effectual is a work of the spirit of God in the soul inabling it to the mortifying of all sin to the obeying of every command to walking with God in all well-pleasing Ephes 5.30 Now whoever is thus sanctified is one with him that sanctifieth Christ will not be ashamed to call such brethren for they are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Mat. 12.44 Ro. 6.11 But then there is a more common work of sanctification which is ineffectual as to the two great works of dying to sin and living to God This kind of sanctification may help to restrain sin but not to mortifie sin it may lop off the boughs but it layeth not the Ax to the root of the tree it sweeps and garnishes the room with common vertues but doth not adorn it with saving graces so that a man is but almost a Christian notwithstanding this sanctification Or thus there is an Inward and Outward Sanctification Inward Sanctification is that which deals with the soul and its faculties understanding conscience will memory and affections Outward Sanctification is that which deals with the life and conversation both these must concur to make a man a Christian indeed therefore the Apostle puts them together in his prayer for the Thessalonians 1 Thes 5.23 The God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ Heb. 10.22 Non magna munera sed immunis manus mensq sincera deo placent A man is then sanctified wholly when he is sanctified both inwardly and outwardly both in heart and affections and in life and conversation Outward sanctification is not enough without Inward nor inward without outward we must have both clean hands and a pure heart Psal 24.4 the heart must be pure that we may not incur blame from within and the hands must be clean that we may not incur shame from without we must have hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and bodies washed with pure water We must cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 inward purity is the most excellent but without the outward it is not sufficient the true Christian is made up of both Mat. 27.24 Mat. 23.25 Now many have clean hands but unclean hearts they wash the outside of the cup and Platter when all is filthy within Now the former without the latter profiteth a man no more then it profited Pilate who condemned Christ to wash his hands in the presence of the people Manus abluit cor polluit he washed his hands of the blood of Christ and yet had a hand in the death of Christ The Egyptian Temples were beautiful on the outside but within you should find nothing but some Serpent or Crocodile He is not a Jew which is one outwardly Rom. 2.28 Judas was a Saint without but a sinner within openly a Disciple but secretly a Devil Ioh. 6.70 Some pretend to inward sanctity without outward this is the pretence of the open sinner though I sometimes drop an idle foolish word saith he or though I sometimes swear an Oath yet I think no hurt I thank God my heart is as good as the best such are like the sinner Moses mentions that blessed himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine own heart to add drunkness to thirst Deut. 19.20 Some pretend outward sanctity without inward such are like the Scribes and Pharises who outwardly appear righteous unto men but within are full of Hypocrisie and iniquity Mat. 23.28 fair professors but foul sinners Inward sanctity without outward is impossible for it will reforme the life outward sanctity without inward is unprofitable for it will not reforme the heart a man is not a true Christian without both the body doth not make a man without the soul nor the soul without the body both are essential to the being of man so the sanctification of both are essential to the being of the new man True Sanctification begins at the heart but works out into the life and conversation and if so then a man
all with whom he converseth Religion beautifies the conversation of a man and sets him off to the eye of the World The grace of God is no friend to a morose churlish unmannerly behaviour among men it provokes in us an affable demeanour and sweetness to all and where this is found it winneth respect and love from all 2. Iam 2.2 3. A man may love a Saint for his outward greatness and splendor in the world men are very apt to honour worldly greatness And therefore the rich Saint shall be loved and honored whilst the poor Saint is hated and despised This is as if a man should value the goodness of his sword by the imbroidery of his belt or his horse for the beauty of his trappings rather then for his strength and swiftness True love to the Children of God reaches to all the children of God poor as well as rich bond as well as free ignoble as well as noble for the image of Christ is alike amiable and lovely in all 3. A man may love a child of God for his fidelity and usefulness in his place Where religion in the power of it taketh hold of a mans heart it makes him true to all his betrustments diligent in business faithful in all his relations and this obligeth respect A carnal Master may prize a godly Apprentice or Servant that makes conscience of pleasing his Master and is diligent in promoting his interest I might instance in many things of the like nature as Charity Beauty Wit Learning Parts c. which may procure love to the people of God from the men of the world But this love is no proof of charity For First It is but natural love arising from some carnal respect or self-ends that love which is made by the Scripture an evidence of our Regeneration is a spiritual love Col. 1.8 the principle load-stone and attractive whereof is grace and holiness it is a love which imbraceth a righteous man in the name of a Righteous man Mat. 10.41 2. A carnal mans love to Saints is a limited and bounded love it is not universal Ester 10.3 to all the seed Now as in sin he that doth not make conscience of every sin maketh conscience of no sin as sin so he who doth not love all in whom the Image of Christ is found loveth none for that of the Image of Christ which is found in them Now then if the love we bear to the people of God may possibly arise from natural love onely or from some carnal respect or if it be a limited love not extended to all the people of God then it is possible that a man may love the people of God and yet be no better then almost a Christian 18. A man may obey the commands of God yea many of the commands of God and yet be but almost a Christian Balaam seems very conscientious of steering his course by the compass of Gods command when Balak sent to him to come and curse the people of God saith Balaam If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God Numb 22.18 Numb 23.12 20 26. and so in the 38. v. saith he the word that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speak The young man went far in obedience Mark 10.20 all these have I observed from my youth up and yet he was but an Hypocrite for he for sook Christ after all But is it not said he that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him John 14.21 and doth not our Lord Christ tell us expresly ye are my friends if ye do what I command you John 15.14 and can a man be the friend of Christ and yet be but almost a Christian Sol. I answer that there is an obedidience to the commands of Christ which is a sure proof of our Christianity and friendship to Christ This obedience hath a three-fold property It is Evangelical Vniversal Continual First It is an evangelical obedience and that both in matter and manner ground and end In the matter of it and that is what God requires John 15.14 ye are my friends if ye do whatever I command you In the manner of it and that is according as God requires John 4.24 God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth In the ground of it and that is a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 In the end of it and that is the honour and glory of God whatever ye do do all to the Glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Numb 14.24 Psal 119.6 Secondly It is an universal obedience which extendeth it self to all the Commands of God alike it respects the duties of both Tables such was the obedience of Caleb who followed the Lord fully and of David who hadrespct to all the commands Thirdly It is a continual obedience a putting the hand to Gods Plow without looking back Iucipere muliorum est perseverare poucorum Bern. I have inclined my heart to performe thy statutes alway even to the end Psal 119.112 He that thus obeys the Command of God is a Christian indeed a friend of Christ indeed but all obedience to the commands of God is not this obedience For 1. There is a partial obedience a peece-meal Religion when a man obeys God in one command and not another own 's him in one duty and not another when a man seems to make conscience of the duties of one Table and not of the duties of another This is the Religion of most Now this obedience is no obedience for as he that doth not love God above all doth not love God at all so he that doth not obey all the commands universally cannot be said to obey any command truly It is said of those in Samaria that they feared the Lord and served their own Gods after their own manner 2 Kings 17.33 and yet in the very next verse it is said they feared not the Lord so that their fear of the Lord was no fear in like manner that obedience to God is no obedience which is but a partial and peice-meal obedience 2. A man may obey much and yet be in his old nature and if so then all his obedience in that estate is but Splendidum peccatum a painted sin he that offereth an oblation is as if he offered swines blood and he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idol Isa 66.3 The nature must be renewed before the command can be rightly obeyed for a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit Matth. 7.18 Whatever a mans performances are they cannot be called obedience whilst the heart remaineth unregenerate because the principle is false and unsound every duty done by a beleiver is accepted of God as a
take the words as we read them and they shew what an efficacy Pauls Doctrine had upon Agrippa's conscience Though he would not be converted yet he could not but be convinced His conscience was touched though his heart was not renewed Observ There is that in Religion which carries its own evidence along with it even to the Consciences of ungodly men Suadereâ—st ecorantes persuade reest escien tis Beza Suadâ—t qui consusit persuadet qui que vult inducâ—t hominem Eras Thou perswadest me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it signifies both suadere and persuadere either to use arguments to prevail or to prevail by the Arguments used Now it is to be taken in the latter sence here to shew the influence of Pauls Arguments upon Agrippa which had almost proselyted him to the profession of Christianity Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian A Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I hope I need not tell you what a Christian is though I am perswaded many that are called Christians do not know what a Christian is or if they do yet they don't know what it is to be a Christian A Christian is a Disciple of Jesus Christ one that believes in and follows Christ As he that imbraces the Doctrine of Arminius is called an Arminian and as he thaâ— owns the Doctrine and way of Luther is called a Lutheran so he that imbraces and owns and follows the Doctrine of Jesus Christ he is called a Christian The word is taken more largely and more strictly more largely and so all that profess Christ come in the flesh are called Christians in opposition to Heathens that do not know Christ and to the poor blind Jews that will not own Christ and to the Mahomeian that prefers Mahomet above Christ But now in Scripture the word is of a more strict and narrow acceptation it is used onely to denominate the true Disciples and followers of Christ Acts 11.26 The Disciples were first called Christians at Antioch 1 Pet. 4.16 If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed that is as a member and Disciple of Christ and so in the Text Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian The Word is used but in these three places as I find in all the New Testament and in each of them it signifies in the sence forementioned Fulk not on Rhem. Test The Italians make the name to be a name of reproach among them and do usually abuse the word Christian to signifie a fool 1 Cor. 1.18 But if as the Apostle saith the Preaching of Christ is to the World foolishness then it is no wonder that the Disciples of Christ are to the World fools 1 Tim. 3 16. Yet it is true in a sound sence that so they are For the whole of godliness is a Mystery 1 Cor. 4.11 A man must die that would live he must be empty that would be full he must be lost that would be found he must have nothing that would have all things he must be blind that would have illumination he must be condemned that would have redemption so he must be a fool that would be a Christian If any man among you seems to be wise let him become a fool that he may be wise He is the true Christian that is the worlds fool but wise to Salvation Thus you have the sence and meaning of the words breifly explained The Text needs no division and yet it is pitty the almost should not be divided from the Christian Though it is of little avail to divide them as they are linked in the Text unless I could divide them as they are united in your hearts this would be a blessed division if the almosi might be taken from the Christian That so you may be not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely propemodum but admodum not onely almost but altogether Christians This is Gods work to effect it but it is our duty to perswade to it and O that God would help me to manage the Subject so that you may say in the conclusion thou perswadest me not almost but altogether to be a Christian The observation that I shall propound to handle is this Doct. There are very many in the Wold that are almost and yet but almost Christians many that are neer Heaven and yet are ne'r the neer many that are within a little of Salvation and yet shall never injoy the least Salvation they are within sight of Heaven and yet shall never have a sight of God There are too sad expressions in Scripture which I cannot but take notice of in this place The one is concerning the truly righteous The other is concerning the seemingly righteous It is said of the truly righteous be shall sarcely be saved and it is said of the seemingly righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 4.18 he shall be almost saved Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God Mark 12.24 The righteous shall be saved with a scarcely that is through much difficulty he shall go to Heaven through many sad fears of Hell Quod vix fit fit quod ferè fit non fit The Hypocrite shall be saved with an almost that is he shall go to Hell through many fair hopes of Heaven There are two things arise from hence of very serious Meditation The one is how oft a beleiver may miscarry how low he may fall and yet have true grace The other is how far a Hypocrite may go in the way to Heaven how high he may attain and yet have no grace The Saint may be cast down very neer to Hell and yet shall never come there and the Hypocrite may be lifted up very neer to Heaven and yet never come there The Saint may almost perish and yet be saved Eternally The Hypocrite may almost be saved and yet perish finally For the Saint at worst is really a beleiver and the Hypocrite at best is really a sinner Before I handle the Doctrine I must premise three things which are of great use for the establishing of weak beleevers that they may not be shaken and discouraged by this Doctrine First There is nothing in the Doctrine that should be matter of stumbling or discouragement to weak Christians The Gospel doth not speak these things to wound beleivers but to awaken sinners and formal professors As there are none more averse then weak beleivers to apply the promises and comforts of the Gospel to themselves for whom they are properly designed So there are none more ready then they to apply the threats and severest things of the Word to themselves for whom they were never intended Mat. 16 15 As the Disciples when Christ told them one of you shall betray me they that were innocent suspected themselves most and therefore cry out Master is it I So weak Christians when they hear sinners
against sin will not make a man a Christian For 1. Purposes and promises against sin never hurt sin we say threatned folk live long and truely so do threatned sins It is not new purposes but a new nature that must help us against sin purposes may bring to the birth but without a new nature there is no strength to bring forth The new nature is the best soyl for holy purposes to grow in otherwise they wither and dye like plants in an improper soyl 2. Trouble and afflictions may provoke us to large purposes and promises against sin for the future what more common then to vow and not to pay to make vows in the day of trouble which we make no conscience to pay in the day of peace Many Covenant against sin when trouble is upon them and then sin against their Covenant when it is removed from them It was a brave rule that Pliny in one of his Epistles gave his friend to live by Vt tales esse perseveremus sani quales nos futuros esse profitemur infirmi That we should continue to be such when we are well as we promise to be when we are sick Many are our sick-bed promises but we are no sooner well but we grow sick of our promises 3. Purposes and resolves against sin for the future may be onely a temptation to put off repentance for the present Satan may put a man on to good purposes to keep him from present attempts He knows whatever we purpose yet the strength of performance is not in our selves He knows that purposes for the future are a putting God off for the present they are a secret will-not to a present opportunity That is a notable passage Luk. 9.59 follow me saith Christ to the two men Now see what answers they give to Christ Suffer me first to go bury my Father says one this man purposes to follow Christ onely he would stay to bury his father Says the other Lord I will follow thee but let me first go and bid them farwel which are at my house vers 61. I will follow thee but onely I would first go and take my leave of my friends or set my house in order And yet we do not finde that ever they followed Christ notwithstanding their fair purposes 4. Nature unsanctified may be so far wrought on as to make great promises and and purposes against sin 1. A natural man may have great convictions of sin from the workings of an enlightned conscience 2. He may approve of the Law of God 3. He may have a desire to be saved Now these three together The workings of conscience The sight of the goodness of the law A desire to be saved may bring forth in a man great purposes against sin and yet he may have no heart to perform his own purposes This was much-what the case of them Deut. 5. say they to Moses vers 27. Go thou near and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and tell thou it to us and we will hear it and do it This is a fair prmise and so God takes it vers 28. I have heard the words of this people they have well said all that they have spoken So said and so done had been well but it was better said then done for though they had a tongue to promise yet they had no heart to performe and this God saw therefore said he v. 29. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep my commandements always that it might be well with them They promise to fear God and keep his Commandents but they wanted a new heart to performe what an unsanctified heart had promised Mat. 21.30 It fares with men in this case as it did with that son in the Gospel That said he would go into the Vine-yard but went not Now then if purposes and promises against sin never hurt sin if present afflictions may draw out large promises if they may be the fruit of a temptation or if from nature unsanctified surely then a man may promise and purpose much against sin and yet be but almost a Christian Seventhly A man may maintain a strife and combate against sin in himself and yet be but almost a Christian So did Balaam when he went to curse the people of God he had a great strife within himself How shall I curse saith he where God hath not cursed Or how shall I desie Numb 23.8 whom the Lord hath not defied Mat. 27.24 Mark 15.12 14. And did not Pilate strive against his sin when he said to the Jews shall I crucifie your King what evil hath he done I am innocent of the blood of this just man Gal. â— 17 But you will say is not this an argument of grace when their is a striving in the soul against sin for what should oppose sin in the heart but grace The Apostle makes the lusting of the flesh against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh to be an argument of grace in the heart Now I find this strife in my heart though the remainders of corruption sometimes break out into actual sins yet I find a striving in my soul against sin Sol. It is true there is a striving against sin which is onely from grace and is proper to beleivers and there is a striving against sin which is not from grace and therefore may be in them that are not beleivers There is a strife against sin in one and the same faculty the will against the will the affection against the affection and this is that which the Apostle calls the lusting of the flesh against the spirit that is the striving of the unregenerate part against the regenerate and this is ever in the same faculty and is proper to beleivers onely An unbeleiver never finds this strife in himself this strife cannot be in him it is impossible as such that is while he is on this side a state of grace Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor But then there is a striving against sin in divers faculties and this is the strife that is in them that are not beleivers there the strife is between the will and the conscience conscience enlightned and terrified with the fear of Hell and damnation that is against sin the will and affection not being renewed they are for sin And this causes great tuggings and strong combates many times in the sinners heart Thus it was with the Scribes and Pharisees conscience convinced them of the Divinity of Christ and of the truth of his being the Son of God and yet a perverse will and carnal affections cry out crucifie him crucifie him Conscience pleaded for him he had a Witness in their bosomes and yet there wills were bent against him and therefore they are said to have resisted the spirit viz. the workings and convictions of the spirit in their consciences Acts 7.51 And this is the case of many sinners
the word yet are they but almost Christians 7. A man may delight in the Word Isa 58.2 and Ordinances of God and yet be but almost a Christian Isa 58.2 They take delight in approaching to God And it is said of that ground Mat. 13.20 that it received the word with joy and yet it was but stony ground Psal 1.2 But is it not made a character of a godly man to delight in the Word of God doth not David say he is a blessed man that delights in the Law of the Lord Sol. There is a delighting in the word which flows from grace and is a proof of blessedness 1. He that delights in the Word because of its spirituality he is a Christian indeed the more spiritual the Ordinances are the more doth a gratious heart delight in them 2. When the word comes close to the conscience rips up the heart and discovers sin and yet the soul delights in it notwithstanding this is a sign of grace 3. When delight arises from that communion that is to be had with God there this is from a principle of grace in the soul But there may be a delight in the word where there is no grace 1. There are many delight in the word because of the eloquence of the Preacher they delight not so much in the truths delivered as in the dress that they are delivered in Ezek 33.323 Thus it is said of the Prophet Ezekiel that he was to them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice 2. There are very many delight to hear the word that yet take no delight to do it Ezek. 33.2 so saith God of them in Ezek. 33.2 they delight to hear my words but they do them not Now then if a man may delight in the word more because of the eloquence of the Preacher then because of the spiritualness of the matter if he may delight to hear the Word and yet not delight to do it then he may delight in the Word and yet be but almost a Christian 8. A man may be a member of the Church of Christ he may joyn himself to the people of God partake with them in all Ordinances and share of all Church Priviledges and yet be but almost a Christian So the five foolish Virgins joyned themselves to the wise and walked together Many may be members of the Church of Christ and yet not members of Christ the head of the Church There was a mixed multitude came up with the Church of Israel out of Egypt they joyned themselves to the Israelites owned their God left their own Country and yet in heart Egyptians notwithstanding All are not Israel that are of Israel Rom. 9.6 The Church in all Ages hath had unsound members Cain had communion with Abel Ishmael dwelt in the same house with Isaack Judas was in fellowship with the Apostles and so was Demas with the rest of the Disciples There will be some Bran in the finest Meal the Draw-Net of the Gospel catches bad fish as well as good the Tares and the Wheat grow together and it will be so till the Harvest Mat. 3.12 Heb. 12.23 God hath a Church where there are no members but such as are true members of Christ but it is in Heaven it is the Church of the first born there are no Hypocrites no rotten unsound professors none but the spirits of just men made perfect all is pure Wheat that God layeth up in that Garner there the Chaff is separated to unquenchable fire But in the Church on Earth the Wheat and the Chaff lie in the same heap together the Samaritans will be ne'r of Kin to the Jews when they are in prosperity so while the Church of God flourisheth in the World many will joyn to it they will seem Jews though they are Samaritans and seem Saints though yet they are no better then almost Christians 9. A man may have great hopes of Heaven great hopes of being Saved and yet be but almost a Christian Heb. 6.19 Indeed there is a hope of Heaven which is the Anchor of the soul sure and stedfast it never miscarries and it is known by four properties First It is a hope which purifies the heart purges out sin 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope purifies himself even as God is pure That soul that truely hopes to enjoy God truely indeavours to be like God Rom. 5.2 Secondly It is a hope which fils the heart with gladness we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Psa 130.5 Thirdly It is a hope that is founded upon the promise as there can be no true faith without a promise so nor any true hope faith applies the promise and hope expects the fulfilling the promise faith relies upon the truth of it and hope waits for the good of it faith gives interest hope expects livery and seisin Rom. 15.13 Fourthly It is a hope that is wrought by God himself in the soul who is therefore called the God of hope as being the Author as well as the Object of hope Col. 1.27 Now he that hath this hope shall never miscarry this is a right hope the hope of the true beleiver Christ in you the hope of glory But then as there is a true and sound hope so there is a false and rotten hope and this is much more common as bastard pearls are more frequently worn then true pearls There is nothing more common then to see men big with groundless hopes of Heaven As 1. A man may have great hope that hath no grace you read of the hope of Hypocrites Job 8.13 14. The performance of duties is a proof of their hope the foolish Virgins would never have done what they did had they thought they should have been shut out after all Many professors would not be at such pains in duties as they are if they did not hope for Heaven Hope is the great motive to action despair cuts the sinews of all indeavours that is one reason why the damned in hell cease acting toward an alteration of their state because despair hath taken hold of them if there were any hope in Hell they would up and be doing there So that there may be great hope where there is no grace experience proves this formal professors are men of no grace but yet men of great hopes nay many times you shall find that none fear more about their eternal condition then they that have most cause of hope and none hope more then they that have most cause of fear As interest in God may sometimes be without hope so hope in God may be without interest 2. A man may hope in the mercy and goodness and power of God without eying the promise and this is the hope of most God is full of mercy and goodness and therefore willing to save and he is infinite in power and therefore able to save why therefore should I not rest on
themselves in the wounds of Christ and by his stripes fetch in healing to their souls Thirdly There is a faith that is seated in the understanding but not in the will this is a very common faith many assent to the truth They beleive all the attributes of God that he is just holy wise faithful good merciful c. But yet they rest not on him notwithstanding They beleive the Commands are true but yet do not obey them they beleive the promises are true but yet do not imbrace and apply them they beleive the threatnings are true but yet do not fly from them Thus their faith lies in assent but not consent they have faith to confess a judgment but none to take out execution by assent they lay a foundation but never build upon it by application They believe that Christ died to save them that beleive and yet they beleive not in Christ that they may be saved Ro. 10 10. 1 Cor. 15.17 Oh my brethren it is not a beleiving head but a beleiving heart that makes a Christian VVith the heart man beleives to righteousness without this our faith is vain we are yet in our sins Fourthly There is a faith without experience many beleeve the Word upon hearsay to be the word of God but they never felt the power and vertue of it upon their hearts and consciences Now what good is it to beleive the truth of the Word if a mans conscience never felt the power of the word what is it to beleeve the truth of the promise if we never tasted the sweetness of the promise We are in this case like a man that beleeves the description others make of strange Countreys but never travelled them to know the truth or as a Patient that beleives all the Physician says but yet trys none of his potions We beleeve the word because we cannot gainsay it but yet we have no experience of any saving good wrought by the Word and so are but almost Christians Fifthly There is a faith that is without brokenness of heart that doth not avail to melt or soften the heart and therefore is not true faith for the least true faith is ever joyned with a bending will and a broken heart Sixthly There is a faith that transforms not the heart Faith without fruit that doth not bring forth the New creature in the soul but leaves it in a state of sin and death This is a faith that makes a man a fond Professor but not a sound beleever he beleives the truth Ephes 4.21 but not as it is in Jesus for then it would change and transform him into the likeness of Jesus Isa 56.9 He beleeves that a man must be changed that would be saved but yet is not savingly changed by beleiving Thus while others beleive to salvation he beleeves to damnation for his web shall not become a garment neither shall he cover himself with his works Heb. 6.4 Now then if a mans faith may be but temporary or may lie onely in generals or may be seated in the understanding onely or may be without experience or may be without a broken heart or without a new heart surely then a man may have faith he may taste of this heavenly gift and yet be but almost a Christian 17. A man may go further yet He may possibly have a love to the people of God and yet be but almost a Christian every kind of love to those who are Saints is not a proof of our Saintship Pharoah loved Joseph and advanced him to the second place in the Kingdom and yet Pharaoh was but a wicked man Ahab loved Jehoshaphat and made a league with him and married his daughter Athaliah to Jehoram Jehoshaphats Son and yet Ahab was a wicked wretch But you will say this seems to contradict the testimony of the Scripture for that makes love to the Saints and people of God a sure proof of our regeneration and interest in life eternal 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren Nay the Spirit of God putteth this as a characteristical distinction between Saints and sinners in the tenth verse In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother By brethren we do not understand Brethren by place those who are of the same Country or Nation such are called Brethren Rom. 9.3 Act. 7 23 25. Nor do we understand Brethren by race those who are descended of the same parents such are called brethren Matth. 1.2 Philemon 16. But by Brethren we understand brethren by grace and supernatural regeneration such as are the children of God and these are the brethren whom to love is a sure sign that we are the children of God Sol. To this I answer That there is a love to the children of God which is a proof of our being the children of God As for instance when we love them as such for that very reason as being the Saints of God when we love them for the image of God which appeareth in them because of that grace and holiness which shineth forth in their conversations this is truly commendable to love the godly for godliness sake the Saints for Saintship sake this is a sure testimony of our Christianity The love of grace in another is a good proof of the life of grace in our selves There can be no better evidence of the Spirit of Christ in us then to love the image of Christ in others For this is a certain truth that a sinner cannot love a Saint as such An Israelite is an abomination to an Egyptian Iohn 15. 1fi Gen. 3.15 There is a contrariety and natural enmity between the two seeds between the children of the World and those whom the Father in his eternal love hath chosen out of the World Simile simili gaudet It is likeness which is the great ground of love now there is the highest dissimilitude and unlikeness between an unregenerate sinner and a child of God and therefore as a child of God cannot love a sinner as a sinner In whose eyes a vile person is contemned Psal 15.4 he may love him as a creature he may love his soul or he may love him under some relation that he stands in to him Thus God loves the damned spirits as they are his Creatures but as fallen Angels he hateth them with an infinite hatred So to love a sinner quatenus a sinner this a child of God cannot do so neither can a sinner love a child of God as a child of God That he may love a child of God that I grant but it is upon some other consideration he may love a person that is holy not the person for his holiness but for some other respect As 1. A man may love a child of God for his loving peaceable courteous deportment to
may be called of God 15. He may in some sense have the spirit of God 16. He may have some kind of faith 17. He may love the people of God 18. He may go far in obeying the Commands of God 19. He may be in some sense sanctified 20. He may do all as to external duties that a true Christian can and yet be no better then almost a Christian The second Question Why or whence is it that many men go so far as that they come to be almost Christians First It may be to answer the call of conscience though few men have grace yet all men have conscience Now do but observe and you shall see how far conscience may go in this work 1. Conscience owns a God and that this God must be worshipped and served by the creature Atheists in practice we have many such as the Apostle speaks of Tit. 1.16 They profess they know God but in works they deny him But Atheists in judgment none can be Tully a Heathen could say nulla gens tam barbara c. Now their being such a light in conscience as to discover that their is a God and that he must be Worshipped by the help of farther light the light of the word a man may be inabled to do much in the ways of God and yet his heart without a dram of grace 2. Know this that natural conscience is capable of great improvements from the means of grace sitting under the ordinances may exceedingly heighten the indowments of Conscience though they do not sanctifie conscience it may be much regulated though it be not at all renewed it may be inlightned convinced and yet never savingly converted and changed Ye read in Heb. 6.4 of some that were once inlightned and tasted of the Heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy ghost What work shall we call this It could not be a saving work a true change and conversion of state for notwithstanding this inlightning and tasting and partaking yet they are here said to fall away v. 6. Luke 22.32 Deut. 33.27 Had it been a true work of grace they could never have fallen away from that a beleiver may fall but he cannot fall away he may fall foully but he can never fall finally for underneath are the everlasting arms his faith is established in the strength of that prayer of Christ that our faith fail not nay he tels us expresly that it is eternal life which he gives from which we shall never perish John 10.28 This work then here spoken of cannot be any saving work because it is not an abiding work for they that are under it are said to fall away from it but though it be not a saving work yet it is a supernatural work it is an improvement made by the word upon the consciences of men through the power of the Spirit and therefore they are said to tast the good word of God and to be made partakers of the Holy Ghost they have not the spirit abiding in them savingly but striving with them and working upon them convincingly to the awakening and setting conscience on work And conscience thus stirred may carry a man very far in Religion and in the duties of the Gospel and yet be but a natural conscience A common work of the spirit may stead a man very much in the duties of Religion though it must be a special work of the spirit that steads a man to salvation a man may have the assisting presence of the spirit inabling him to preach and pray and yet he may perish for want of the renewing presence of the spirit inabling him to beleive Judas had the former and yet perished for want of the latter he had the spirit assisting him to cast out devils but yet he had not the spirit renewing him for he was cast out himself Thus a man may have an improved conscience and yet be a stranger to a renewed conscience and conscience thus improved may put a man very much upon duty I pray God none of us mistake a conscience thus improved by the word for a conscience renewed by the spirit the mistake is very easie especially when a life of duties is the fruit of it 3. The conscience of a natural man is subject to distress and trouble though a natural conscience is not sanctified with grace yet it is often troubled at sin trouble of conscience is not incident to beleivers onely but sometimes to unbeleivers also A beleivers conscience is sometimes troubled when his sin is truely pardoned and a natural mans conscience is troubled for sin though it is never freed from sin God sometimes sets the word home upon the sinners conscience and applies the terrours of the law to it and this fills the soul with fear and horrour of death and hell now in this case the soul usually betakes it self to a life of duties meerly to fence trouble out of conscience 2 Sam. 14.30 31. When Absalom sets fire on Joabs corn fields then he runs to him though he refused before so when God lets a spark of Hell as it were fall upon the sinners conscience in applying the terrours of the word this drives the sinner to a life of duties which he never minded before The ground of many a mans ingaging in Religion is the trouble of his conscience and the end of his continuing in Religion is the quieting of conscience if conscience would never check him God should never from him Natural conscience hath a voice and speaks aloud many times in the sinners ears and telleth him this ought not to be done God must not be forgotten the commands of God ought not to be slighted living in sin will be the ruine of the soul and hence it is that a natural man runs to duties and takes up a lifeless and graceless profession that he may thereby silence conscience As a man sick in his stomack what ever sweet morsel he hath eaten he brings up all and although it was sweet in the eating yet it is bitter in the rising So it fareth with the sinner when he is Sermon-sick or Conscience-sick though his sin was sweet in the practice yet the thought of it riseth bitter upon the conscience and then his profession of religion is the pill he rouleth about in his mouth to take away the bitterness of-sins tast 4. Natural conscience inlightned by the word may discover to a man much of the misery of a natural state though not effectually to bring him out of it yet so as to make him restless and weary in it it may shew a sinner his nakedness and hereupon the soul runneth to a life of duties thinking hereby to stead the misery of his case and to make a covering for his nakedness It is said Gen. 3.7 That when Adam and Eve saw they were naked they sewed Fig leaves together and made themselvelves a covering So when once the sinner seeth his nakedness and vileness by reason
of sin whereas he should run to Christ and close with him and beg his righteousness for a covering that the shame of his nakedness do not appear Rev. 3.18 he rather runneth to a life of duties and performances and thus maketh himself a covering wlth the fig-leaves of a profession without Christ truely imbraced and conscience at all renewed Naural man would fain be his own Saviour and suposeth a change of state to be a thing within his own power and that the true work of grace lieth in leaving off the practise of fin and taking up a life of duties and therefore upon this principle doth many a graceless professour outstrip a sound beleiver for he resteth in his own performances and hopeth these will commend him to God If a natural conscience may go thus far then what difference is there between this natural conscience in Hypocrites and sinners and a renewed conscience in beleivers or how may I know whether the workings of my conscience be the workings of nature onely or else of grace wrought in it I grant that it is difficult to distinguish between the one and the other and the difficulty hath a twofold rise 1. It ariseth from that Hypocrisie that is in the best Saints the weakest beleiver is no Hypocrite but yet there is some Hypocrisie in the strongest beleiver where there is most grace there is some sin and where there is most sincerity yet there is some Hypocrisie Now it is very incident to a tender conscience to misgive and mistrust its state upon the fight of any sin when he sees Hypocrisie break out in any duty or performance then he complaines surely my aims are not sincere my conscience is not renewed it is but natural conscience inlightened not by grace purged and changed 2. It ariseth from that resemblance there is between grace and Hypocrisie for Hypocrisie is a resemblance of grace Pigmalion mâ—ae an image so lively ib it hedeceived himself and taking the Victure for a person fell in love with the Picture without substance the likeness of grace without the life of grace There is no grace but a Hypocrite may have somewhat like it and there is no duty done by a Christian but an Hypocrite may outstrip him in it Now when one that hath not true grace shall go farther then one that hath this may well make the beleiver question whether his grace be true or not or whether the workings of his conscience be not the workings of nature onely rather then of grace wrought in it But to answer the Question you may make a judgement of this in these seven particulars 1. If a natural mans conscience putteth him upon duty he doth usually bound himself in the Work of God his duties are limited his obedience is a limited obedience he doth one duty and neglecteth another he picketh and chuseth among the Commands of God obeyeth one and slighteth another Thus much is enough what need any more if I do thus and thus I shall go to Heaven at last Ps 119.20 But now where Conscience is renewed by grace there it is otherwise Though there may be many weaknesses which accompanie its duties yet that soul never bounds it self in working after God it never loves God so much but still it would love him more nor seeks him so much but still it would seek him more nor doth it serve God so well at any time but still it makes conscience of serving him better A renewed conscience is a spring of universal obedience Psal 119.128 for it seeth an infinite excellency and goodness and holiness in God and therefore would fain have its service rise up towards some proportionableness to the object a God of infinite excellency and goodness should have infinite love saith Conscience a holy God should have service from a holy heart saith conscience Now then If I set bounds to my love to God or to my service to God if I limit my self in my obedience to the holy God love one command and slight another obey in one point and yet lie cross in another then is all I do but the working of a natural conscience But on the other hand if I love the Lord with my whole heart and whole soul and serve him with all my might Mat. 22.37 Mark 17.33 and strength If I esteem all Gods precepts concerning all things to be right and have respect to all the Commands then is my love and service from a renewed conscience 2. If a natural mans conscience check or accuse for sin then he seeketh to step the mouth of it but not to satisfie it most of the natural mans duties are to still and stifle conscience But now the beleiver chuseth rather to let conscience cry then to stop the mouth of it until he can do it upon good terms until he can fetch in satisfaction to it from the blood of Jesus Christ by fresh acts of faith apprehended and applied The natural man seeketh to still the noise of conscience rather then to remove the guilt the beleiver seeketh the removal of guilt by the application of Christs blood and then conscience is quiet of it self As a foolish man having a Mote fallen into his eye and making it water he wipeth away the water and labours to keep it dry but never searcheth his eye to get out the Mote but a wise man mindeth not so much the wiping as the searching his eye some-what is got in and that causeth the watering and therefore the cause must be removed Now then if when conscience accuseth for sin I take up a life of duties a forme of godliness to stop the mouth of Conscience and if hereupon conscience be still and quiet then is this but a natural conscience but if when conscience checks it will not be satisfied with any thing but the blood of Christ and therefore I use duties to bring me to Christ and if I beg the sprinckling of his blood upon conscience and labour not so much to stop the mouth of it as to remove guilt from it then is this a renewed conscience 3. There is no natural man let him go never so far let him do never so much in matters of Religion but still he hath his Dalilah his bosome lust Judas went far Ioh. 12.6 but he carried his covetousness along with him Herod went far Mar. 6.20 he did many things under the force of Johns Ministry but yet there was one thing he did not he did not put away his Brothers Wife v. 17 18. his Herodias lay in his bosome still Nay commonly all the natural mans duties are to hide some sin his profession is onely made use of for a covershame Psa 66.18 Psa 119.128 But now the renewed conscience hateth all sin as David did I hate every false way he regardeth no iniquity in his heart he useth duties not to cover sin but to help work down and work out sin Ro. 2.23 Now
then if I profess Religion if I make mention of the Name of the Lord and make my boast of the law and yet through breaking the law dishonour God if I live in the love of any sin and make use of my profession to cover it then am I an Hypocrite and my duties flow but from a natural conscience but on the other hand if I name the name of the Lord Jesus and withal depart from inquity if I use duties not to cover 2 Tim. 2.19 but to discover and mortifie sin then am I upright before God and my duties flow from a renewed conscience 4. A natural man pride's himself in his duties if he be much in duty then he is much lifted up under duty so did the Pharisee Luk. 18. Luke 18.11 12. God I thank thee that I am not as other men are and why where lay the difference why I fast twice in the week I give Tithes of all c. 2 Tim 4 2 But now take a gracious heart a renewed conscience and when his duties are at highest then is his heart at lowest Thus it was with the Apostle Paul he was much in service in season and out of season Preaching up the Lord Jesus with all boldness and earnestness and yet very humble in a sense of his own unworthiness under all I am not worthy to be called an Apostle 1 Cor. 15.9 To me who am less then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3.8 and again in the 1 Tim. 1.15 of sinners I am cheif thus a beleiver when he is highest in duties then is he lowest in humility duty puffeth up the Hypocrite but a beleiver comes away humbled and why because the Hypocrite hath had no visions of God he hath seen onely his own gifts and parts and this exalteth him but the beleiver hath seen God and injoyed communion with God and this humbleth him communion with God though it be very refreshing yet it is also very abasing and humbling to the creature Jerome observeth on Zephaniah 1 Chap. 1 v. where it is said that ushi was the son of Geduliah the son of Amariah That Amariah signifieth the Word of the Lord Gedaliah signifieth the greatness of the Lord and Cushi is interpreted humility or my Ethiopian So that saith he from the Word of the Lord cometh a sight of the greatness of the Lord and from a sight of the greatness of the Lord cometh Humility Now then if I pride my self in any duty and am puffed up under my performances then have I not seen nor met with God in any duty But on the other hand if when my gifts are at highest my heart is at lowest if when my spirit is most raised my heart is then most humbled if in the middest of all my services I can maintain a sence of mine own unworthiness if Cushi be the Son of Gedaliah then have I seen and had communion with God in duty and my performances are from a renewed conscience 5. Look what that is to which the heart doth secretly render the glory of a duty and that is the principle of the duty in Habakkuk 1.16 ye read of them that Sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their drag where the glory of an action is rendered to a mans self the principle of that action is self all Rivers run into the Sea Eccl. 1.7 that is an argument they came from the Sea so when all a mans duties terminate in self then is self the principle of all Now all the natural mans dâ—â—â—â—s run into himself he was never by a through work of grace truely cast out of himself and brought to deny himself and therefore he can rise no higher then himself in all he doth he was never brought to be poor in spirit and so to live upon another to be carryed out of all duties to Jesus Christ Ps 115.1 But the beleiver giveth the glory of all his services to God what ever strength or life there is in duty God hath all the glory for he is by grace outed of himself and therefore seeth no excellency or worthiness in self Gal. 2.20 I laboured more abundantly then they all saith the Apostle but to whom doth he ascribe the glory of this to self no yet not I saith he but the grace of God which was with me 1 Cor. 15.10 when ever the grace of Christ is wrought in the heart as a principle of duty you shall find the soul when it is most carried out with a yet not I in the mouth of it I live yet not I I laboured more abundantly then all yet not I self is disclamed and Christ most advanced when it is from grace that the heart is quickned the twenty-four Flders cast their crowns at Christs feet Rev. 4.10 There are two things very hard one is to take the shame of our sins to our selves the other is to give the glory of our services to Christ Gal. 6.8 Now then if I sacrifice to my own net if I aim at my own credit or profit and give the glory of all I do to self then do I sow to the flesh and was never yet cast out of self but act onely from a natural conscience but if I give the glory of all my strength and life in duty onely to God if I magnifie grace in all and can truely say in all I do yet not I then am I truely cast out of self and do what I do with a renewed conscience 6. Though a natural conscience may put a man much upon service yet it never presseth to the attainment of holiness so that he carrieth an unsanctified heart under all How long was Judas a professor and yet not one dram of grace that he had got the foolish Virgins you know taok their lamps but took no oyle in their vessels Mat. 20 3. that is they looked more after a profession then after sanctification But now when a renewed conscience putteth a man upon duty it is successed with the growth of holiness as grace helpeth to the doing of duty so duty helpeth to the growing of grace a beleiver is the more holy and the more heavenly by his being much in duties Now then if I am much in a life of duties and yet a stranger to a life of holiness if I maintain a high profession and yet have not a true work of sanctification if like children in the Rickets I grow big in the head but weak in the feet then have I gifts and parts but no grace and though I am much in service yet have I but a natural conscience but on the other hand if the holiness of my conversation carrieth a proportion to my profession if I am not a hearer of the word onely but a doer of it if grace groweth in seasons of dutie then do I act in the things of God from a renewed
Conscience 7. And lastly if a natural conscience be the spring of duty why then this spring runs fastest at first and so abateth and at last dryeth up but if a renewed conscience a sanctified heart be the spring of duty then this spring will never dry up it will run always from first to last and run quicker at last then at first I know thyworks and the last to be more then the first Rev. 2.19 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 But you will say why doth that man abate and languish in his duties that doth them from a natural conscience more then he that doth them from a renewed conscience The reason is because they grow upon a failable root a decaying root and that is nature nature is a fading root and so are all it fruits fading but the duties done by a renewed conscience are fruits that grow upon a lasting root and that is Christ gifts have their root in nature but grace hath its root in Christ and therefore the weakest grace shall out-live the greatest gifts and parts because there is life in the root of one and not in the root of the other gifts and grace differ like the Leather of your Shooe and the Skin of your Foot take a pair of Shooes that have the thickest soals and if you go much in them the Leather weareth out and in a little time a mans foot cometh to the ground but now a man that goeth bare-foot all his days the skin of his feet doth not wear out why should not the soal of his foot sooner wear out then the soul of his shooe for the Leather is much thicker then the Skin the reason is because there is life in the one and not in the other there is life in the skin of the foot and therefore that holdeth out and groweth thicker and thicker harder and harder but there is no life in the soal of his shooe and therefore that weareth out and waxeth thinner and thinner so it is with gifts and grace Now then if I decay and abate and grow weary of a profession and fall away at last if I begin in the spirit and end in the flesh then was all I did from a natural conscience but if I grow and hold out if I persevere to the end and my last works be more then my first then do I act from a renewed conscience And thus I have in seven things answered that question viz. if conscience may go thus far in putting a man upon duties then what difference is there between this natural conscience in Hypocrites and sinners and renewed conscience in beleivers And that is the first answer to the main query viz. whence is it that many men go so far as that they come to be almost Christians It is to answer the call of conscience Secondly It is from the power of the word under which they live though the word doth not work effectually upon all yet it hath a great power upon the hearts of sinners to reforme them though not to renew them 1. It hath vim discriminationis a discerning discovering power Heb. 4.12 the Word of God is quick and powerful sharper then any two-edged Sword peircing to the dividing assunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Iam. 1.23 This is the glass where every man may see what manner of man he is as the light of the Sun discovers the little Moths so the light of the Word shining into conscience discovers little sins 2. The Word hath vim legislativam the power of a law it gives law to the whole soul binds conscience it is therefore frequently call'd the law in Scripture Psa 119 92. Isa 8.20 unless thy law had been my delight c. To the law and to the testimony this is spoken of the whole Word of God which is therefore called a Law because of its binding power upon the conscience 3. It hath vim judicativam a judging power John 12.48 The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day the sentence that God will pass upon sinners hereafter is no other then what the word passeth upon them here the judgement of God is not a day wherein God will pass any new sentence but it is such a day wherein God will make a solemn publique ratification of the judgement passed by the Ministry of the word upon souls here this I gather clearly from Mat. 18.18 whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatever ye shall loose an earth shall be loosed in Heaven so that by bringing a mans heart to the word and trying it by that he may quickly know what that sentence is that God will pass upon his soul in the last day for as the judgment of the word is now such will the judgement of God be concerning him in the last day Indeed there is a twofold power further then this in the word It hath Vim plasticam Et vim salvificam A begetting and saving power but this is put forth onely upon some But the other is more extensive and hath a great causality upon a profession on of godliness even among them that have no grace A man that is under this threefold power of discerning law and judgement that hath his heart ransacked and discovered his conscience bound and awed his state and sinful condition judged and condemned may take up resolution of a new life and convert himself to a great profession of Religion Mat. 6.5 Thirdly A man may go far in this course of profession from affectation of applause and credit and to get a name in the World as it is said of the Pharises they love to pray in the Market places and in the corners of the streets to be seen of men Many are of Machiavels principle that the appearance of virtue is to be sought because though the use of it is a trouble yet the credit of it is a help Jerom in his Epistle to Julian calls such popularis aurae vilia mancipia the base bond slaves of common fame Many a man doth that for credit that he will not do for conscience and owns Religion more for the sake of a lust then for the sake of Christ thus making Gods stream to turne the Devils mill Fourthly It is from a desire of salvation there is in all men a desire of salvation it is natural to every being to love and seek its own preservation who will shew us any good Psal 4.6 This is the language of nature seeking happiness to its self Many a man may be carryed so far out in the desires of salvation as to do many things to obtain it Mat. 19.16 So did the young man good Master what good thing shall I do that I may inherit eternal life he went far and did much obeyed many
commands and all out of a desire of salvation so then put these together and there is an answer to that Question The call of conscience The power of the word The affectation of credit and The desire of salvation These may carry a man so far as to be almost a Christian The third Question propounded is this Third Whence is it that many are but almost Christians when they have gone thus far what is the cause of this I might multiply answers to this question but I shall instance in two onely which I judge the most material First It is for want of right and sound convictions if a man be not throughly convinced of sin and his heart truely broken whatever his profession of godliness may be yet he will be sure to miscarry every work of conviction is not a through work There are convictions that are onely natural and rational but not from the powerful work of the spirit of God Rational conviction what Rational conviction is that which proceeds from the working of a natural conscience charging guilt from the light of nature by the help of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those common principles of reason that are in all men This is the conviction you read of Rom. 2.14 15. It is said that the Gentiles who had not the law yet had their consciences bearing witness and accusing or excusing one another though they had not the light of Scripture yet they had convictions from the light of nature now by the help of the Gospel light these convictions may be much improved and yet the heart not renewed Spiritual conviction what But then there is a spiritual conviction and this is that work of the spirit of God upon the sinners heart by the word whereby the guilt and filth of sin is fully discovered and the wo and misery of a natural state distinctly set home upon the conscience to the dread and terrour of the sinner whilst he abides in that state and condition And this is the conviction that is a sound and through work many have their convictions but not this spiritual conviction Quere Now you 'l say suppose I am at any time under conviction how shall I know whither my conviction be onely from a natural conscience or whether they be from the spirit of God I should digress too much to draw out the solution of this question to its just length I shall therefore in five things onely lay down the most considerable difference between the one and the other 1. Natural convictions reach cheifly to open and scandalous sins sins against the light of nature for natural conviction can reach no farther then natural light But Spiritual conviction reaches to secret inward and undiscerned sins such as Hypocrisie Formality Lukewarmness deadness and hardness of heart c. Observe then whether your trouble for sin looks inward as well as outward and reaches not onely to open sins but to secret lusts to inward and spiritual sins and if so this is a sure sign of the work of the spirit because the trouble occasioned by these sins bears a more immediate relation to the Holiness of God who onely is offended by them they being such as none else can see or know 2. Natural convictions deal onely with a mans conversation not with his state and condition with sins actual not original But spiritual convictions reach to all sins to sins of heart as well as sins of life to the sin of our nature as well as the sins of practise to the sin that is born in us as well as the sin that is done by us Where the spirit of the Lord commeth to work effectually in any soul he holdeth the glass of the law before the sinners eyes and openeth his eyes to look into the glass and to see all that deformity and filthiness that is in his heart and nature Ro. 2.14 The Apostle Paul saith I had not known sin but by the Law Rom. 7.7 How can this be true that he had not known sin but by the law when as the light of nature discovers sin It is said of the Gentiles That having not the law they are a law unto themselves This sin therefore that the Apostle speaks of is not to be understood of sin actual but of sin original I had not known the pollution of nature that fountain of sin that is within this I had not known but by the law and indeed this is a discovery that natural light cannot make it is true the Philosopher could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lust is the first and cheif of all sins Timon apud Laertium but I cannot think he meant it of original sin but of the inordinacy of appetite and desire at most for I find that the wisest of the Philosophers understood nothing of original sin hear Seneca Erras si tecum vitia nasci putas supervenerunt ingesta sunt sin is not born with thee but brought in since Tam fine vitio quam sine virtute nascimur Quintilian saith it is more marvel that any one man sins then that all men should live honestly sin is so against the nature of men how blind were they in this point and so was Paul till the spirit of the Lord discovered it to him by the word And indeed this is a discovery proper to the spirit It is he that makes the sinner see all the deformity and filthiness that is within it is he that pulleth off all the sinners rags and makes him see his naked and wretched condition it is he that shews us the blindness of the mind the stubborness of the will the disorderedness of the affections the searedness of the conscience the plague of our hearts and the sin of our natures and therein the desperateness of our state 3. Natural convictions carry the Soul out to look more on the evil that comes by sin then on the evil that is in sin so that the soul under this conviction is more troubled at the dread of Hell and wrath and damnation then at the vileness and heinous nature of sin But now Spiritual convictions work the soul into a greater sensibleness of the evil that is in sin then of the evil that comes by sin the dishonour done to God by walking contrary to his will the wounds that are made in the heart of Christ the greif that the holy Spirit of God is put to this wounds the soul more then a thousand Hells 4. Natural convictions are not durable they are quickly worn out they are like a slight cut in the skin that bleeds a little and is soar for the present but is healed again and in a few days not so much as a Scar to be seen But Spiritual convictions are durable they cannot be worn out they abide in the soul till they have reached their end which is the change of the sinner The convictions of the spirit are like a deep wound in the flesh
a saving work 2 Tim. 3.5 Fourthly Many mistake a profession of Religion for a work of conversion and an outside reformation for a sure sign of inward Regeneration If the outside of the Cup be washed then they think all is clean though it be never so foul within This is the common rock that so many souls split upon to their eternal hazard taking up a forme of godlinss but denying the power thereof Fifthly Want of a home application of the law of God to the heart and conscience to discover to a man the true state and condition he is in Where this is wanting a man will sit down short of a true work of grace and will reckon his case better then it is That is a notable passage which the Apostle hints concerning himself Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed Here you have an account of the different apprehensions Paul had of his condition with and without the word 1. Here is his apprehension of his condition without the word Phil. 3.5 6. I was alive saith he without the Law Paul had the law for he was a Pharisee and they had the forme of knowledge Ro. 2.20 and of the truth of the law therefore when he saith he was without the law you must not take him literally but spiritually he was without the power and efficacy of it upon his heart and conscience convincing and awakening and discovering sin and so long as this was his case he doubted not of his state he was confident of the goodness of his condition this he hinteth when he sayth I was alive but then 2. Here is his apprehension of his condition with the word and that is quite contrary to what it was before when the commandment came saith he then sin revived and I dyed When the Word of the Lord came with power upon his soul when the Spirit of God set it home effectually upon his conscience that is meant by the coming of the Commandment then sin revived and I dyed that is I saw the desperateness of my case and the filthiness of all my self righteousness Then my hope ceased and my confidence failed and as before I thought my self alive and my sin dead so when God had awakened conscience by the Word then I saw my sin alive and powerful and my self dead and miserable So that this is the first reason why men go no farther in the profession of Religion then to be almost Christians It is because they mistake their state and think it good when it is not which mistake hath a fivefold rise A deceitful heart A proud spirit Taking common grace for saving Outward reformation for true Regeneration Want of a home application of the Law of God to the heart and conscience Reas 2 2. It is from Satans cunning who if he cannot keep sinners in their open prophaneness then he labours to perswade them to take up with a forme of godliness if he cannot entice them on in their lusts with a total neglect of Heaven then he entices them to such a profession as is sure to fall short of Heaven He will consent to the leaving some sin so as we do but keep the rest and to the doing some duties so as we neglest the rest nay rather then part with his interest in the soul he will yeild far to our profession of Religion and consent to any thing but our conversion and closing with Christ for salvation he cares not which way we come to Hell so as he gets us but thither at last Reas 3 3. It is from Worldly and carnal policy this is a great hinderance to many policy many times enters Caveats against piety Jehu will not part with his calves lest he hazards his Kingdom Among many men there would be more zeal and honesty were there less design and policy There is an honest policy that helps Religion but carnal policy hinders it Mat. 10.16 Gen. 3.1 We are commanded to be wise as Serpents now the Serpent is the subtillist of creatures but then we must be innocent as Doves if piety be without policy it wants secur ty if policy be without piety it wants integrity piety without policy is too simple to be safe and policy without piety is too subtile to be good Let men be as Wise as Prudent as Subtile as Watchful as they will but then let it be in the way of God let it be joyned with holiness and integrity That is a cursed wisedom that forbids a man to launch any farther out in the depth of Religion then he can see the land lest he be taken in a storm before he can make safe to shoar again Reas 4 4. There is some lust espoused in the heart that hinders a hearty close with Christ though they bid fair yet they come not to Gods terms Mat. 19.20 the young man would have eternal life and he bids fair for it a willing obedience to every command but one but onely one and will not God abate him one is he so severe will he not come down a little in his terms when man rises so high must man yeild all will God yeild nothing Mat. 13.45 46. No my brethren he that underbids for Heaven shall as surely lose it as he that will give nothing for it he that will not give all he hath part with all for the pearl of price shall as surely go without it as he that never once cheapens it The not comming up to Gods terms is the ruine of thousands of souls nay it is that upon which all that perish do perish a naked sinner to a naked Christ a bleeding broken sinner to a bleeding broken Christ these are Gods terms Most professors are like Iron between two equal loadstones God draws and they propend towards God and the World draw and they incline to the World they are-between both they would not leave God for the world if they might not be ingaged to leave the world for God 2 Tim. 4.10 But if they must part with all with every lust every Darling every beloved sin why then she spirit of Demas possesses them and God is forsaken by them Gal. 5.7 My brethren this is the great reason why many that are come to be almost Christians go no farther some one beloved lust or other hinders them and after a long and high profession parts Christ and them forever they did run well but here it is that they give out and after all fall short and perish to eternity Thus having answered these four Questions viz. 1. How far a man may go in the way to Heaven and yet be but almost a Christian 2. Whence it is that a man goeth so far as to be almost a Christian 3. Whence it is that a man is but almost a Christian when he hath gone thus far 4. What is the reason men go no farther in Religion then to be
as God offers him The terms upon which God in the Gospel offers Christ are that we shall accept of a broken Christ with a broken heart and yet a whole Christ with the whole heart A Broken Christ with a broken heart as a witness of our humility a whole Christ with the whole heart as a witness of our sincerity A broken Christ respects his suffering for sin a broken heart respects our sence of sin A whole Christ includes all his Offices a whole heart includes all our faculties Christ is King Priest and Prophet and all as Mediator without any one of these Offices the work of salvation could not have been compleated As a Priest he redeems us as a Prophet he instructs us as a King he sanctifies and saves us Therefore the Apostle says He is made to us of God wisdom 1 Cor. 1.30 righteousness sanctification and redemption Righteousness and Redemption flow from him as a Priest Wisdom as a Prophet Sanctification as a King Lu 19.27 Now many imbrace Christ as a Priest but yet they own him not as a King and Prophet they like to share in his righteousness but not to partake of his holiness they would be redeemed by him but they would not submit to him They would be saved by his blood but not submit to his power Many love the priviledges of the Gospel spel but not the duties of the Gospel Now these are but almost Christians notwithstanding their close with Christ for it is upon their own terms but not upon Gods The Offices of Christ may be distinguished but they can never be divided Ioh. 20.28 But the true Christian owns Christ in all his Offices he doth not only close with him as Jesus but as Lord Jesus he says with Thomas my Lord and my God He doth not onely beleive in the merit of his death but also conforms to the manner of his life as he beleives in him so he lives to him he takes him for his wisdom as well as for his righteousness for his Sanctification as well as his redemption 2. The altogether Christian hath a through work of Grace and Sanctification wrought in the heart as a spring of duties Regeration is a whole change 2 Cor 5.17 all old things are done away and all things become new It is a perfect work as to parts though not as to degrees Carnal men do duties but they are from an unsanctified heart and that spoils all A new peice of cloth never doth well in an old garment for the rent is but made worse Mat. 9.16 When a mans heart is throughly renewed by grace the mind savingly inlightned the conscience throughly convinced the will truly humbled and subdued the affections spiritually raised and sanctified And when Mind and Will and Conscience and Affection all joyn issue to help on with the performance of the duties commanded then is a man altogether a Christian 3. He that is altogether a Christian looks to the manner as well as to the matter of his duties not onely that they be done but how they be done He knows the Christians priviledges lies in Pronounes but his duty in Adverbs it must not be onely bonum good but it must be benè that good must be right done Iam 5.16 Here the almost Christian fails he doth the same duties that others do for the matter but he doth them not in the same manner while he minds the substance he regards not the circumstance If he pray he regards not faith and fervency in prayer if he hear he doth not mind Christs rule Take heed how ye hear Luk. 8.18 if he obeys he looks not to the frame of his heart in obeying Ro. 6 7. and therefore miscarries in all he doth bonum oritur ex integra causa malum ex quolibet defectu any of these dedefects spoil the good of every duty 4. The altogether Christian is known by his sincerity in all his performances whatever a man does in the duties of the Gospel he cannot be a Christian without sincerity Now the almost Christian fails in this for though he doth much prays much hears much obeys much yet he is an Hypocrite under all 5. He thai is altogether a Christian hath an answerableness within to the law without There is a connatural ness between the Word of God and the Will of a Christian his heart is as it were the transcript of the Law the same holiness that is commanded in the Word is implanted in his heart the same conformity to Christ that is enjoyned by the Word of God is wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God the same obedience which the Word requireth of him the Lord inableth to perform by his grace bestowed on him This is that which is promised in the New Covenant Heb. 9.10 10.16 I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Jer. 31.33 Now the writing his Law in us is nothing else but his working that grace and holiness in us which the Law commandeth and requireth of us Psa 40.8 2 Cor. 3.3 In the old Covenant Administration God wrote his laws onely upon tables of stone but not upon the heart and therefore though God wrote them yet they broke them but in the new Covenant Administration God provides new tables not tables of stone but the fleshly tables of the heart and writes his Laws there that there might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a law within answerable to the law without and this every true Christian hath so that he may say in his measure as our Lord Christ did I delight to do thy will O my God thy law is within my heart every beleiver hath a light within him not guiding him to dispise and slight but to prize and walk by the light without him the word commands him to walk in the light and the light directs him to walk according to the word Ioh. 1.16 Moreover from this impression of the law upon the heart obedience and conformity to God becomes the choice and delight of the soul for holiness is the very nature of the new creature so that if there were no Scripture no Bible to guide him yet he would be holy for he hath received grace for grace there is a work of grace within to answer to the word of grace without Now the almost Christian is a stranger to this Law of God within he may have some conformity to the word in outward conversation but he cannot have this answerableness to the word in inward constitution 6. The altogether Christian is much in duty and yet much above duty much in duty in regard of performance much above duty in regard of dependance much in duty by obeying but much above duty by beleeving He lives in his obedience but he doth not live upon his obedience but upon Christ and his righteousness Psal 119 166. The almost Christian fails in this he is
much to suffering as the power of godliness but without the power of godliness there is no holding out in a profession under suffering The World hates the shew of godliness and therefore persecutes it the almost Christian wants the substance and therefore cannot hold out in it Now this must needs be very uncomfortable if I profess Religion I am like to suffer if I do but profess it I am never like to indure 3. It is uncomfortable in regard of that deceit it lays our hopes under to be deceived of our hopes causeth sorrow as well as shame he that is but almosta hristian hopes for heaven but unless he be altogether a Christian he shall never come there Mat. 25.10 Now to perish with hope of Heaven to go to Hell by the gates of glory to come to the very door and then be shut out as the five Virgins were to dy in the Wilderness within sight of the promised land at the very brinks of Jordan this must needs be sad to come within a stride of the Goal and miss it to sink within sight of harbour Oh how uncomfortable is this 3. As it is greatly unprofitable and exceedingly uncomfortable to be but almost a Christian so it is desperately dangerous For 1. This doth obicem ponere it hinders the true work a man lies in a fairer capacity for conversion that lies in open enmity and Rebellion then he that sooth's up himself in the formalities of Religion This I gather from that parable of the two Sons which our Lord Christ urged to the professing Scribes and Pharisees Mat. Mat. 21.28 29.30 31. 21.28 There was a man had two Sons and he came to one and said gowork to day in my Vineyard He said I will not but afterwards repented and went And he came to the second and said likewise and he said I go Sir but went not The first represents the carnal open sinner that is called by the word but refuses yet afterwards repents and beleives The second represents the Hypocritical professor that pretends much but performes little Now mark how Christ applies this Parable v. 31. Verily I say unto you that the Publicans and the Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you And upon this account it is better not to be at all then to be almost a Christian for the almost hinders the altogether It is better in this regard to be a sinner without a profession then to be a professor without out conversion for the one lies fairer for an inward change when the other rests in an outward Our Lord Christ tels the Scribe Mar. 12.34 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God and yet never like to come there None farther from the Kingdom of God then such as are not far from the Kingdom of God As for instance when there lies but one lust one sin between a soul and Christ that soul is not far from Christ but now when the soul rests in this nearness to Christ and yet will not part with that one lust for Christ but thinks his condition secured though that lust be not subdued who is farther from the Kingdom of God then he So our Lord Christ tells the young man Mar. 20.21 One thing thou lackest why he was very neer Heaven near being a Christian altogether he was almost saved he tells Christ he had kept all the Commands v. 20. He lacked but one thing I say but one thing but it was a great thing that one thing he lacked was more then all things he had for it was the one thing necessary Lu. 10.42 it was a new heart a work of grace in his soul a change of state a heart weaned from the world I this was the one thing and he that lacks this one thing perishes with his all things else 2 This condition is so like a state of grace that the mistake of it for grace is easie and common and it is very dangerous to mistake any thing for grace that is not grace for in that a man contents himself as if it were grace Formality doth often dwell next door to sincerity and one sign serves both and so the house may be easily mistaken and by that means a man may take up his lodging there and never find the way out again What one saith of Wisdom Multi ad sapientiam pervenissent nisi se jam pervenisse putassent many might have been wise had they not thought themselves so when they were otherwise The same I may say of grace many a formal professor might have been a sincere beleiver had he not mistook his profession for conversion his duties for graces and so rested in that for sincerity which is but Hypocrisie 3. It is a degree of blasphemy to pretend to grace and yet have no grace I gather this from that Revel 2.9 I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not This place under-goes varieties of constructions Grotius and Pareus do not make their blasphemy to lye in their saying they are Jews and are not but to lye in the reproaches that these Jews fastened upon Christ calling him imposter deceiver one that hath a Devil c. Col. 2.14 Bright-man goes another way and saith this was the blasphemy of these Jews they retained that way of Worship that was abrogated and thrust upon God those old Rites and Ceremonies which Jesus Christ had abolished and nailed to his pross by which they overthrew the glory of Christ and denyed his comming So that the retaining of Altar-Worship and the rest of the Levitical Ceremonies in Gospel Churches is in Bright-mans sense a denying Christ is come and consequently a degree of Blasphemy Ro. 2.29 But I conceive the blasphemy of these Jews to lye in this that they said they were Jews and were not A Jew here is not to be taken litterally and strictly onely for one of the lineage of Abraham but it is to be taken Metonymically for a true Beleiver one of the spiritual seed of Abraham He is a Jew which is one inwardly so that for a man to say he is a Jew when he is not to profess an interest in Christ when he hath none to say he hath grace when he hath none this Christ calls Blasphemy But why should Christ call this Blasphemy this is Hypocrisie but how may it be said to be Blasphemy Why he blasphemes the great Attribute of Gods Omnisciency he doth implicitly denie that God sees and knows our hearts and thoughts for if a man did beleeve the Omnisciency of God that he searches the heart and sees and knows all within He would not dare to rest in a graceless profession of godliness this therefore is blasphe my in the account of Christ 4. It is dangerous to be almost a Christian in that this stills and serves to quiet conscience Now it is very dangerous to quiet conscience Bello pax ca deterior with any thing but the blood
of Christ It is bad being at peace till Christ speaks peace nothing can truely pacifie conscience less then that which pacifies God and that is the blood of the Lord Christ Now the almost Christian quiets conscience but not with the blood of Christ it is not a peace flowing from Christs propitiation but a peace rising from a formal profession not a peace of Christs giving but a peace of his own making He silences and bribes conscience with a forme of godliness and so makes it give way to an undoing foul destroying peace he rocks it asleep in the Cradle of duties and then it is a thousand to one it never awaketh more till death or judgment Ah my brethren it is better to have conscience never quiet then quieted any way but by the blood of Sprinkling a good conscience unquiet is the greatest affliction to Saints and an evil conscience quiet is the greatest judgment to sinners 5. It is dangerous to be almost a Christian in respect of the unpardonable sin the sin that the Scripture saith can never be forgiven neither in this World nor in the World to come Mat. 12.32 I mean the sin against the holy Ghost now such are onely capable of sinning that sin as are but almost Christians A true beleiver cannot the work of grace in his heart that seed of God abiding in him secures him against it 1 Joh. 3.9 compared with the 5. Chap. 16 17 18. Act. 7.51 The prophane open ignorant sinner cannot though he lives daily and hourly in sin yet he cannot commit this sin for it must be from an enlightned mind every sinner under the Gospel especially sins sadly against the Holy Ghost against the strivings and motions of the Spirit he resists the holy ghost but yet this is not the sin against the holy Ghost There must be three ingredients to make up that sin 1. It must be wilful Heb. 10.26 if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrisice for sin 2. It must be against light and convictions after we have received the knowledge of the truth 3. It must be destinatâ malitia Blasphemia in sâ—iritum sanctum ea est qua quis dest nata ma itia contra proprum anime sui sensum spiritus sancti grattam virtutem deique gloriam oprugnat Luc. Brugens in Mat. 12. in resolved malice Now you shall find all these ingredients into the sin of the Pharisees Mat. 12.22 Christ heals one that was possessed with a Devil a great work which all the people wondred at v. 23. But what say the Pharisees see v. 24. This fellow casteth out Devils by the Prince of Devils now that this was the sin against the holy ghost is clear for it was both wilful and malicious and against clear convictions they could not but see that he was the Son of God and that this work was a peculiar work of the Spirit of God in him and yet they say he wrought by the Devil Whereupon Christ charges them with this sin against the Holy Ghost v. 31.32 now these Pharisees were a sort of great professors compare this with Mark 3.28 29 30. whence I gather this conclusion That it is the professor of Religion that is the subject of this sin Not the open carnal sinner not the true beleiver but the formal professor Not the sinner for he hath neither light nor grace not the beleiver for he hath both light and grace therefore the formal professor for he hath light but no grace Here then is the great danger of being almost a Christian he is liable to this dreadful unpardonable sin 6. This being but almost a Christian subjects us to apostacy he that gets no good by walking in the ways of God will quickly leave them and walk no more in them this I gather from Hos 14.9 Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the ways of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but the transgressors shall fall therein The just shall walk in them he whose heart is renewed and made right with God he shall keep close to God in his ways But the transgressours shall faell therein the word in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peshangim from a word that signifies to prevaricate so that we may read the words thus The ways of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but he that prevaricates that is a Hypocrite in the Ways of God he shall fall therein An unsound heart will never hold out long in the ways of God Joh. 5.35 He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in that light Job 27.10 For a season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for an hour a short space and then they left him It is a notable question Job puts concerning the Hypocrite Will he delight himself in the Almighty will he always call upon God He may do much but these two things he cannot do He cannot make God his delight He cannot persevere in duties at all times and in all conditions Pro. 24.16 Deut. 33.27 He will be an Apostate at last the scab of Hypocrisie usually breaks out in the plague soar of Apostacy Conversion ground is standing ground it is terra firma but a graceless profession of Religion is slippery ground and falling ground Julian the Apostate was first Julian the professour I know it is possible a beleiver may fall but yet he rises again the everlasting arms are underneath but when the hypocrite falls who shall help him up Eccl. 4 10 Salomon saith Wo to him that is alone when he falls that is without interest in Christ why wo to him for he hath none to help him up if Jesus Christ do not recover him who can David fell and was restored for he had one to help him up but Judas fell and perished for he was alone 7. This being but almost a Christian provokes God to bring dreadful spiritual judgement upon a man Barrenness is a spiritual judgment now this provokes God to give us up to barrenness when Christ found the fig-tree that had leaves but no fruit he pronounces the curse of barrenness upon it Never fruit grow on thee more Mat. 21.19 and so Ezek. 47.11 The miry places thereof and the marish places thereof shall not be healed they shall be given to salt 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. A Spirit of delusion is a sad judgement why this is the almost Christians judgment that receives the truth but not in the love of it because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusion Lu. 19.42 To lose either light or sight either ordinances or eyes is a great spiritual judgment why this is the almost Christians judgment he that profits not under the means provokes
the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowful Prov. 14.13 but now the comfort that flows from godliness is an inward comfort a spiritual joy therefore it is called gladness of heart Psal 4.7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart Other joy smooths the brow but this fils the brest 2. Worldly comfort hath a nether spring the spring of worldly comfort is in the creature in some earthly injoyment and therefore the comfort of worldly men must needs be mixed and muddy Iam. 3.11 an unclean fountain cannot send forth pure water But spiritual comfort hath an upper spring the comfort that accompanies godliness flows from the manifestations of the Love of God in Christ from the workings of the blessed Spirit in the heart which is first a Counsellour and then a Comforter And therefore the comforts of the Saints must needs be pure and unmixed comforts for they flow from a pure Spring 3. Worldly comfort is very fading and transitory Iob. 20.5 The triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the Hypocrite is but for a moment Salomon compares it to the crackling of Thornes under a pot Eccles 7.6 which is but a blaze and soon out so is the comfort of carnal hearts But now the comfort of godliness is a durable and abiding comfort your heart shall rejoyce Io. 16.22 and your joy no man shall take from you The comfort of godliness is lasting and everlasting it abides by us In life In death After death Isa 32.17 Phili. 1.2 Colos 12. First It abides by us in life grace and peace go together godliness brings forth comfort and peace naturally the effect of righteousness shall be peace it is said of the primitive Christians they walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 every duty done in uprightness and sincerity reflects some comfort upon the soul Psa 19.11 In keeping the Commands there is great reward not onely for keeping of them but in keeping of them as every flower so every duty carries sweetness and refreshing with it But who more dejected and disconsolate the Saints and beleivers whose lives are more uncomfortable whose mouths are more filled with complaints then theirs if a condition of godliness and Christianity be a condition of so much comfort then why are they thus Isa 50.10 Sol. That the people of God are often times without comfort that I grant they may walk in the dark and have no light but this is none of the product of godliness grace brings forth no such fruit as this there is a threefold rise and spring of it Sin within Desertion without Temptation without 1. Sin within the Saints of God are not all Spirit and no flesh all grace and no sin they are made up of contrary principles there is light and darkness in the same mind sin and grace in the same will carnal and spiritual in the same affections Gal. 5.17 there is the flesh lusting against the spirit in all these and too often the Lord knows is the beleiver led away captive by these warring lusts Ro. 7.23 so was the holy Apostle himself I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me Rom. 7.21 and v. 23. I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin and this was that which broke his spiritual peace and filled his soul with trouble and complaints as you see in the 24. v. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death So that it is sin that interrupts the peace of Gods people indwelling lust stirring and breaking forth must needs cause trouble and grief in the soul of a beleiver for it is as natural for sin to bring fotth trouble as it is for grace to bring forth peace every sin contracts a new guilt upon the soul and guilt provokes God and where there is a sense of guilt contracted and God provoked there can be no peace no quiet in that soul till faith procures fresh sprinklings of the blood of Jesus Christ upon the Conscience 2. Another Spring of the beleivers trouble and disconsolateness of spirit is the desertions of God and this follows upon the former God doth sometimes disappear and hide himself from his people verily thou art a God that hidest thy self Psa 13.1 Isa 45.15 But the cause of Gods hiding is the beleivers sinning your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you Isa 59.2 In Heaven where there is no sinning there is no losing the light of Gods countenance for a moment and if Saints here could serve God without corruption they should injoy God without desertion but this cannot be while we are in this state remaining lusts will stir and break forth and then God will hide his face and this must needs be trouble thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Ps 30.7 Psa 116.3 The light of Gods countenance shining upon the soul is the Christians Heaven on this side Heaven and therefore it is no wonder if the hiding of his face be looked upon by the soul as one of the dayes of Hell so it was by David The sorrows of death compassed me the pains of Hell gate hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow 3. A third spring of that trouble and complaint that brims the banks of the Christians spirit is the temptaions of Satan Mat. 13.39 he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great enemy of Saints and he envieth the quiet and comfort that their hearts are filled with when his conscience is brimmed with horrour and terrour and therefore though he knows he cannot destroy their grace yet he labours to disturb their peace As the blessed Spirit of God is first a Sanctifier and then a comforter working grace in order and peace so this cursed Spirit of Hell is first a Tempter and then a Troubler first perswading to act sin and then accusing for sin and this is his constant practise upon the Spirits of Gods people he cannot indure that they should live in the light of Gods countenance when himself is doomed to an eternal intolerable darkness And thus you see whence it is that the people of God are often under trouble and complaint all arises from these three springs of Sin within Desertions without Temptations without If the Saints could serve God without sinning and injoy God without withdrawing and resist Satan without yeilding they might injoy peace and comfort without sorrowing this must be indeavoured constantly here but it will never be attained fully but in Heaven But yet so far as grace is the prevailing principle in the heart and so far as the power of godliness is exercised in the life so far the condition of a Child of God is a condition of peace for it is an undoubted
truth that the fruit of righteousness shall be peace But suppose the people of God experience little of this comfort in life yet 2. They find it in the day of death grace and holiness will Minister unto us then and that ministration will be peace A beleiver hath a twofold spring of comfort each one emptying it self into his soul in a dying season ' one is from above him the other is from within him the spring that runs comfort from above him is the blood of Christ sprinkled upon the conscience the spring that runs comfort from within him is the sincerity of his heart in Gods service When we lye upon a death-bead and can reflect upon our principles and performances in the service of God and there find uprightness and sincerity of heart running through all this must needs be comfort it was so to Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Isa 38.3 Nothing maketh a Death-bed so uneasie and hard as a life spent in the service of sin and lust nothing makes a Death-bed so soft and sweet as a life spent in the service of God and Christ Or put the case the people of God should not meet with this comfort then yet 3. They shall be sure to find it after Death if time bring none of this fruit to ripeness why yet eternity shall grace in time will be glory in eternity holiness now will be happiness then what ever it is that a man soweth in this World that he shall be sure to reap in the next World He that soweth to the flesh Gal. 6.7 shall of the flesh reap corruption Gal. 6.8 but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Ro. 6.23 When sin shall end in sorrow and misery holiness shall end in joy and glory well done thou good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.23 Whoever shareth in the grace of Christ and conformeth to the life of Christ in this World shall share in the joys of Christ in the World to come 1 Pet. 1.8 and that joy is joy unspeakable and full of glory Lo here is the fruit of godliness say now if there be not enough in Religion whether we respect profit or comfort to ingage us to be Christians throughout 4. What an intire resignation wicked men make of themselves to their lusts Consid 4 and shall not we do so to the Lord Christ they give up themselves without reserve to the pleasures of sin and shall we have our reserves in the service of God they are altogether sinners and shall not we be altogether Saints they run and not faint in the service of their lusts and shall we faint and not run in the service of Christ shall the sevants of corruption have their ears boared Exo. 21.6 at the Door-posts of sin in token of an intire and perpetual service and shall not we give up our selves to the Lord Christ to be his for ever Isa 28.15 shall others make a Covenant with Hell and death Ier. 50.5 and shall not we joyn our selves to God in an everlasting Covenant that cannot be forgotten Acrius illi ad perniciem quam nos ad salutem shall they take more pains to damn their souls then we do to save ours and make more speed to a place of vengeance then we do to a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4 8 Which do you judge best to be saved everlastingly or to perish everlastingly which do you count the best Master God or the Devil Christ or your lusts I know you will determine it on Christs side Oh then when others serve their lusts with all their hearts do you serve Christ with all your hearts Eccle. 8.5 Ier. 3.5 if the hearts of the Sons of men be fully set in them to do evil then much more let the hearts of the sons of God be fully set in them to do good 5. If ye are not altogether Christians Consid 5 ye will never be able to appear with comfort before God not to stand in judgement of the last and great day for this sad dilemma will silence every Hypocrite If my Commands were not holy just and good why didst thou own them if they were holy just and good why didst thou not obey them If Jesus Christ was not worth the having why didst thou profess him if he was then why didst thou not cleave to him and close with him If my Ordinances were not appointed to convert and save souls why didst thou sit under them and rest in the performance of them or if they were then why didst thou not submit to the power of them If Religion be not good why dost thou profess it if it be good why dost thou not practise it Friend how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment Mat. 22.12 If it was not a Wedding feast why didst thou come at the invitation and if it was then why didst thou come without a wedding garment Mat. 11.22 I would but ask an Hypocritical professour of the Gospel what he will answer in that day Verily you deprive your selves of all possibility of Apology in the day of the righteous judgment of God it is said of this man that had no Wedding garment on that when Christ came and examined him he was speechless he that is graceless in a day of grace will be speechless in a day of judgment professing Christ without a heart to close with Christ will leave our souls inexcusable and make our damnation unavoidable and more intolerable These are the motives to inforce the duty and oh that God would set them home upon your hearts and consciences that you might not dare to rest a moment longer in a half work or in being Christians within a little but that you might be altogether Christians Quere But you will say possibly how shall I do what means shall I use that I may attain to a through work in my heart that I may be no longer almost but altogether a Christian Now I shall lay down three rules of directions instead of many to further and help you in this important duty and so leave this work to Gods blessing First Break off all false peace of conscience Direct 1 this is the Devils bond to hold the soul from seeking after Christ As there is the peace of God so there is the peace of Satan but they are easily known for they are as contrary as Heaven and Hell as light and darkness The peace of God flows from a work of grace in the soul and is the peace of a regenerate state but the peace of Satan is the peace of an unregenerate state it is the peace of Death in the grave Job saith their is peace Iob. 3.17 there the wicked cease from troubling so a
soul dead in sin is full of peace the wicked one troubleth him not The peace of God in the soul is a peace flowing from the removal of guilt by justifying grace Rom. 5.1 being justified by faith in his blood we have peace with God but the peace of Satan in the soul arises and is maintained by a stupidness of spirit and insensibleness of guilt upon the conscience The peace of God is a peace from sin that fortifies the heart against it The peace of God that passeth all understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Philip 4.7 the more of this peace there is in the soul the more is the soul fortified against sin But the peace of Satan is a peace in sin the strong man armed keeps the house and there all is at peace Luk. 11.21 The Saints peace is a peace with God but not with sin the sinners peace is a peace with sin but not with God and this is a peace better broke then kept it is a false a dangerous an undoing peace my brethren death and judgment will break all peace of conscience but onely that which is wrought by Christ in the soul and is the fruit of the blood of sprinkling when he gives quietness who then can make trouble Job 34.29 Now that peace that death will break why should you keep who would be fond of that quietness which the flames of Hell will burn in sunder and yet how many travel to Hell through the fools paradice of a false peace Oh break off this peace for we can have no peace with God in Christ whilst this peace remains in our hearts intus existens prohibet alienum The Lord Christ gives no peace to them that will not seek it and that man will never seek it that doth not see his need of it and he that is at peace in his lust sees no need of the peace of Christ The sinner must be wounded for sin and troubled under it before Christ will heal his wounds and give him peace from it 2. Labour after a through work of conviction Direct 2 every conviction will not do it the almost Christian hath his convictions as well as the true Christian or else he had never gone so far but they are not sound and right convictions or else he had gone farther God will have the soul truely sensible of the bitterness of sin before it shall tast the sweetness of mercy The Plow of conviction must go deep and make deep furrows in the heart before God will sow the precious seed of grace and comfort there that so it may have depth of earth to grow in This is the constant method of God first to shew man his sin then his Saviour first his danger then his redeemer first his wound then his cure first his ownvileness then Christs righteousness We must be brought to cry out unclean unclean to mourn for him whom we have peirced and then he sets open For us a fountain to wash in for sin and for uncleanness Zach. 12. and the four last verses compared with Zach. 13. and the first verse That is a notable place Job 33.27 28. He looked upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not He will deliver his soul from going into the pit and his life shall see the light The sinner must see the unprofitableness of his unrighteousness before he profits by Christs righteousness The Israelites are first stung with the fiery Serpents Num. 21 6â—8 and then the brazen Serpent is set up Ephraim is first throughly convinced and then Gods bowels of mercy work towards him Thus it was with Paul Manasseh the Jaylor c. So that this is the unchangeable method of God in working grace to begin with conviction of sin Oh therefore labour for through convictions and there are three things we should especially be convinced of First Be convinced of the evil of sin the filthy and heinous nature of it this is the greatest evil in the World it wrongs God it wounds Christ it grieves the holy spirit it ruineth a precious soul all other evils are not to be named with this My Brethren though to do sin be the worst work yet to see sin is the best sight for sin discovered in its vileness makes Christ to be desired in his fulness But above all labour to be convinced of the mischief of an unsound heart what an abhorring it is to God what certain ruine it brings upon the soul Oh think often of the Hypocrites hell Mat. 24.51 Secondly Be convinced of the misery and desperate danger of a natural condition for till we see the plague of our hearts and the misery of our state by nature we shall never be brought out of our selves to seek help in another Thirdly Direct 3 Be convinced of the utter insufficiency and inability of any thing below Christ Jesus to minister releif to thy soul in this case all things besides Jesus Christ are Physitians of no value Iob 13 4. duties performances prayers tears self-righteousness avail nothing in this case they make us like the Troupes of Tema Iob. 6.19.20 to return ashamed at our disappointment from such failing brooks Alass It is an infinite righteousness that must satisfie for us for it is an infinite God that is offended by us If ever thy sin be pardoned it is infinite mercy that must pardon it if ever thou be reconciled to God it is infinite merit must do it if ever thy heart be changed and thy state renewed it is infinite power must effect it and if ever thy soul escape hell and be saved at last it is infinite grace must save it In these three things right and sound conviction lieth And wherever the Spirit of God worketh these through convictions it is in order to a true and sound conversion For by this means the soul is brought under a right qualification for the receiving Christ You must know that a sinner quatenus a sinner can never come to Christ for he is dead in sin in enmity against Christ an enemy to God and the grace of God but there are certain qualifications that come between the souls dead state in sin and the work of conversion and closing with Christ Se Nortons Orthod Fvangelist p. 130. whereby the soul is put into a capacity of receiving the Lord Jesus Christ For no man is brought immediately out of his dead state and made to beleive in Jesus Christ There are termini mediantes some qualifications comming in between now sound convictions are the right qualifications for the sinners receiving Christ Mat. 9.12.13 for he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance that is such as see themselves sinners and thereby in a lost condition so Luke explains it The son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Luk. 19.10