may attain to an outward sanctification and yet for want of the inward be no better then almost a Christian 20. And so I shall end this long pursuit of the almost Christian in his progress Heaven-ward with this one general conclusion A man may do all as to external duties and worship that a true Christian can and when he hath done all be but almost a Christian You must know all the Commands of God have an intra and an extra there is as may say the body and the soul of the command And accordingly there is an internal and an external worship of God Now the internal acts of worshipping of God are to love God to fear God to delight in God to trust in God c. The external acts of Worshipping God are by praying teaching hearing c. Now there is a vast difference between these internal and external acts of Worship and indeed such a difference there is that they distinguish the altogether from the almost Christian The sincere beleiver from the unsound professor and indeed in this very thing the main difference between them doth lie 1. Internal acts of Worship are good propter fieri the goodness doth adhere intrinsecally to the thing done a man cannot love God nor fear God but it will be imputed to him for a gracious act and a great part of his Holiness But now external acts of Worship are not denominated good so much from the matter done propter fieri as from the manner of doing them a man cannot sin in loving and delighting in God but he may sin in praying and hearing c. for want of a due manner 2. Internal acts of worship put a goodness into external it is our faith our love our fear of God that makes our duties good 3. They better the heart and greaten the degrees of a mans holiness external duties do not always do this a man may pray and yet his heart never the holier he may hear the word and yet his heart never the softer but now the more a man fears God the wiser he is Prov. 1.7 the more a man loves God the holier he is love is the perfection of holiness we shall never be perfect in holiness till we come to be perfect in love 4. There is such an excellency in this internal worship that he who mixes it with his external duties is a true Christian when he doth least but without this mixture he is but almost a Christian that doth most Internal acts of Worship joyned with outward sanctifie them and make them accepted of God though few external acts of Worship without inward make them abhorred of God though they be never so many So that though the almost Christian may do all those duties in Hypocrise which a true Christian doth in sincerity nay though in doing external duties he may out-do the true Christian as the comet makes a greater blaze then the true Stars if Eliah fast and mourn Baals Priests will cut their flesh Yet he cannot do those internal duties that the meanest true Christian can The almost Christian can pray but he cannot love God he can teach or hear c. but he cannot take delight in God Mark Job's query concerning the Hypocrite Iob 27.10 This is Christianorum pro pria virtus will he delight himself in the Almighty He will pray to the Almighty but will he delight himself in the Almighty will he take pleasure in God Ah no! he will not he cannot Delight in God arise from a suitableness between the faculty and the object now none more unsuitable then God and a carnal heart Delight arises from the having what we desire Haec prrpris est delectationis materia si cum habeas quae desideraveris defideratis perfruaris Pined in Loc. and from enjoying what we have how then can he delight in God that neither enjoyeth nor hath nor truely desireth God Delight in God is one of the highest exercises of grace and therefore how can he delight in God that hath no grace Why then should any Saint of God be discouraged when he hears how far the almost Christian may go in the way to Heaven when as he that is the weakest true beleiver that hath the least true grace goes farther then he for he beleives in and loves God Should the almost Christian do less as to matter of external duties yet if he had but the least true faith the least sincerity of love to Christ he would surely be saved and should the true Christian do ten times more duties then he doth yet had he not faith in Christ and love to Christ he would surely be rejected Oh therefore let not any weak beleiver be discouraged though Hypocrites may out-do them and go beyond them in duty for all their duties are done in Hypocrisie but your faith and love to God in duties is a proof of your sincerity I do not speak this to discourage any soul in the doing of duties or to beat down outward performances but to rectifie the soul in the doing of them 1 Cor. 12 31. As the Apostle saith covet earnestly the best gifts but yet I shew unto you a more excellent way so I say covet the best gifts cover to be much in duties much in prayer much in hearing c. But yet I shew you a more excellent way and that is the way of faith and love pray much but then beleive much too Hear much read much but then love God much too Delight in the Word and Ordinances of God much but then delight in the God of Ordinances more And when you are most in duties as to your use of them Oh then be sure to be above duties as to your resting and dependance upon them Would you be Christians indeed altogether Christians oh then be much in the use and exercise of ordinances but be much more in faith and dependance upon Christ and his Righteousness when your obedience is most to the command then let your faith be most upon the promise The professor rests in his duties and so is but almost a Christian but you must be sure to rest upon the Lord Christ this is the way to be altogether Christians for if ye beleive then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise And thus I have answered the first query to wit how far may a man go in the way to Heaven and yet be but almost a Christian 1. He may have much knowledge 2. He may have great gifts 3. He may have a high profession 4. He may do much against sin 5. He may desire grace 6. He may tremble at the Word 7. He may delight in the Word 8. He may be a Member of the Church of Christ 9. He may have great hopes of Heaven 10. He may be under great and visible changes 11. He may be very zealous in the matters of Religion 12. He may be much in prayer 13. He may suffer for Christ 14. He
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
praesentiam Lumb 1. sent dist 17 but dwels in Saints onely per inhabitationis gratiam the Hypocrite may have the spirit for a season but not to abide in him for ever 2. A man may have the spirit and yet not be born of the spirit Joh. 3.4 5. every true Christian is born of the spirit a Hypocrite may have the gifts of the spirit but not the graces the spirit may be in him by way of illumination but not by way of sanctification by way of conviction but not by way of conversion though he may have much common grace for the good of others yet he may have no special grace for the good of himself though his profession be spiritual yet is his state and condition carnal 3. A man may have the spirit onely as a spirit of bondage thus many have the spirit working onely to bondage The spirit of bondage is an operation of the holy Ghost by the law convincing the conscience of sin and of the curse of the law and working in the soul such an apprehension of the wrath of God as makes the thoughts of God a terrour to him This spirit may be and often is without saving grace this operation of the spirit was in Cain and Judas Though none that receive the spirit of adoption but they first receive the spirit of bondage yet many receive the spirit of bondage that never receive the spirit of adoption 4. A man may have the spirit of God working in him and yet it may be resisted by him it is said of the Jews Isa 63.10 they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit and the same sin is charged upon their Children Acts 7.51 ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart ye have always resisted the holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye The Hypocrite retains not the spirit so long as to come up to Regeneration Adoption but quenches the motions of it and thereby miscarries eternally 5. A man may have the spirit and yet sin that unpardonable sin he may have the Holy Ghost and yet sin the sin against the Holy Ghost nay no man can sin this sin against it but he that hath some degree of it The true beleiver hath so much of the spirit such a work of it in him that he cannot sin that sin He that is born of God sins not to wit that sin unto death for that is meant 1 John 5.16 17 18. The carnal professed sinner he cannot sin that sin because he is carnal and sensual having not the spirit Jude 19. A man must have some measure of the spirit that sins this sin so hath the Hypocrite he is said to be partaker of the Holy Ghost Heb. 6.4 and he onely is capable of sinning the sin against the holy Ghost Now then if a man may have the spirit transiently onely not abidingly if a man may have the spirit and yet not be born of the spirit if he may have the spirit onely as a spirit of bondage if a man may have the spirit working in him and yet it may be resisted by him if a man may have the spirit and yet sin that unpardonable sin against it then surely a man may have the spirit of God and yet be but almost a Christian 16. A man may have faith and yet be but almost a Christian Lu 8.13 the stony ground that is those hearers set out by the stony ground for a while beleived It is said Joh. 2.23 that many beleived in the name of Christ Fides mi nime fide quippe ex miraculus nata yet Christ durst not commit himself to them Though they trusted in Christ yet Christ would not trust them and why because he knew all men v. 24. he knew they were rotten at root notwithstanding their faith a man may have all faith even to the removing mountains and yet be nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 But how can this be that a man may have faith and yet be but almost a Christian doth not our Lord Christ promise life eternal and salvation to all that beleive is not this the Gospel that is to be preached to every creature He that beleives shall be saved Mark 16.16 Jam. 2.19 Sol. Though it is true what our Lord Christ saith that he that beleives shall be saved yet it is as true that many beleive that shall never be saved for Simon Magus beleived yea James saith the Devils beleive and tremble now none will say these shall be saved 2 Thess 3.2 As it is true what the Apostle saith all men have not faith so it is as true that there are some men have faith who are no whit the better for their faith You must know therefore there is a two fold faith Special and Saving Common and not Saving 1. There is a saving faith Col. 2.12 This is called faith of the operation of God It is a work of Gods own spirit in the soul It is such a faith as rests and casts the soul wholy upon Christ for grace and glory pardon and peace sanctification and salvation It is an united act of the whole soul understanding will and affections all concurring to unite the soul to an alsufficient Redeemer Act. 15.9 It is such a faith as purifies the heart and makes it clean it influences and gives strength and life to all other graces Now whoever hath this faith is a Christian indeed this is the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1.1 But then 2. There is a common faith not saving a fading and temporary faith there is the faith of Simon Magus as well as the faith of Simon Peter Acts 8 13 v. 23. compar Simon Magus beleived and yet was in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity Now Simon Magus hath more followers then Simon Peter the faith of most men will at last be found to be no better then the faith of Simon Magus For Luk. 22 32. First The faith of most is but a temporary faith it dures for a while and then dies and perisheth true and saving faith such as is the faith of Gods elect cannot die it may fail in the Act but not in the habit the sap may not be in the branch but it is always in the root That faith that perisheth that faith a man may have and perish Secondly There is a faith that lies onely in generals not in particulars as there is a general and particular object of faith so there is a general and particular faith The general object of faith is the whole Scripture the particular object of faith is Christ in the promise Now many have a general faith to beleive all the Scripture and yet have no faith to make a particlar application of Jesus Christ in the promise Devils and Reprobates may beleive the truth of the Scripture and what is written of the dying and suffering of Christ for sinners but there are but few that can close up
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
that goes to the bone and seems to indanger the life of the Patient and is not healed but with great skill and when it is healed leaves a Scar behinde it that when the Patient is well yet he can say here is the mark of my wound which will never wear out Vna eademque manus pulnus opemque tulit So a soul that is under Spiritual conviction his wound is deep and not to be healed but by the great skill of the Heavenly Physitian and when it is healed there are the tokens of it remaining in the soul that can never be worn out so that the soul may say here are the markes and signes of my conviction still in my soul 5. Natural convictions make the Soul shy of God guilt works fear and fear causes estrangedness thus it was with Adam Gen. 3.8 when he saw his nakedness he ran away and hid himself from God Ier. 31.18 Now spiritual convictions drive not the soul from God but unto God Ephraims conviction was spiritual and he runs to God Turn thou me and I shall be turned So that there is you see a great difference between conviction and conviction between that which is natural and that which is spiritual that which is Common and that which is Saving Yea such is the difference that though a man hath never so much of the former yet if he be without the latter he is but almost a Christian and therefore we have great reason to inquire more after this spiritual conviction For 1. Spiritual conviction is an essential part of sound conversion conversion begins here true conversion begins in convictions and true convictions end in conversion Till the sinner be convinced of sin he can never be converted from sin Christs coming was as a Saviour to dye for sinners and the spirits comming is to convince us as sinners that we may close with Christ as a Saviour till sin be throughly discovered to us interest in the blood of Christ cannot rightly be claimed by us nay so long as sin is unseen Christ will be unsought They that be whole needs not the Physitian but they that are sick Mat. 9.12 2. Slight and common convictions when they are but skin deep are the cause of much Hypocrisie Slight convictions may bring the soul to clasp about Christ but not to close with Christ and this is the guise of a Hypocrite I know no other rise and spring of Hypocrisie like this of slight convictions this hath filled the Church of Christ with Hypocrites Mat. 13.5 6. Nay it is not onely the spring of Hypoorisie but it is also the spring of Apostacy what was the cause that the Seed was said to Wither away Mat. 13.5 6. is was because it had no deepness of earth Where there is a through conviction there is a depth of earth in the heart and there the Seed of the Word grows but where convictions are slight and common there the seed withers for want of depth so that you see clearly in this one instance whence it is that many are but almost Christians when they have gone so far in Religion viz. for want of sound convictions Mat. 13.20 21. Secondly And this hath a neer Relation to the former It is for want of a through work of grace first wrought in the heart where this is not all a mans following profession comes to nothing that Scholar is never like to read well that will needs be in his Grammer before he is out of his Primmer Cloath that is not wrought well in the Loom will neither wear well nor wear long it will do little service so that Christian that doth not come well off the Loom that hath not a through work of grace in his heart will never wear well he will shrink in the wetting and never do much service for God it is not the pruning of a bad tree will make it bring forth good fruit but the tree must be made good before the fruit can be good Mat. 12.33 He that takes up a profession of Religion with an unbroken heart will never serve Christ in that profession with his whole heart If there be not a true change in that mans heart that yet goes far and doth much in the ways of God to be sure he will either dye an Hypocrite or an Apostate Look as in nature if a man be not well born but prove crooked or mishapen in the birth why he will be crooked as long as he lives you may boulster or stuff out his clothes to conceal it but the crookedness the deformity remains still you may hide it but you cannot help it it may be covered but it cannot be cured Iohn 3.5 So it is in this case if a man come into a profession of Religion but be not right born if he be not begotten of God and born of the Spirit if there be not a through work of grace in his heart all his profession of Religion will never mend him he may be boulsterd out by a life of duties but he will be but a Hypocrite at last for want of a through work at first a forme of godliness may cover his crookedness but will never cure it A man can never be a true Christian nor accepted of God though in the highest profession of Religion without a work of grace in the heart For 1. There must be an answerableness in the frame of that mans heart that would be accepted of God to the duties done by him his spirit and affections within must carry a proportion to his profession without Prayer without faith obedience to the law given without fear and holy reverence of the Law giver God abhors acts of internal worship must answer the duties of external worship Now where there is not grace wrought in the heart there can never be any proportion or answerableness in the frame of that mans heart to the duties done by him 2. Those duties that find acceptance with God must be done in sincerity God doth not take our duties by tale nor judge of us according to the frequency of our performances but according to the sincerity of our hearts in the performance It is this that commends both the doer and the duty to God with sincerity God accepts the least we do without sincerity God rejects the most we do or can do This is that temper of spirit which God highly delights in Prov. 11.20 They that are of a froward heart 1 Chron. 19 17. are an abomination to the Lord but such as are upright in their way are his delight We read it Godly sincerity The Apostle gives it a great Epithete he calls it in 2 Cor. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincerity of God that is such a sincerity as is his special work upon the soul setting the heart right and upright before him in all his ways This is the Crown of all our graces and the commendation of all our duties thousands
I Master is it I So should we do when the Lord discovers to us from his word how many there are under the profession of Religion that are but almost Christians we should strait way reflect upon our hearts Lord is it I is my heart unsound am I but almost a Christian am I one of them that shall miscarry at last am I a Hypocrite under a profession of Religion have I a forme of Godliness without the power There are two questions of very great importance which we should every one of us often put to our selves What am I Where am I 1. What am I am I a child of God or not am I sincere in Religion or am I onely a Hypocrite under a profession 2. Where am I am I yet in a natural state or in a state of grace am I yet in the old root in old Adam or am I in the root Christ Jesus am I in the Covenant of works that ministers onely wrath and death or am I in the Covenant of grace that ministers life and peace Indeed this is the first thing a man should look at there must be a change of state before there can be a change of heart we must come under a change of Covenant before we can be under a change of condition For the new heart Ezek. 36.26 and the new spirit is promised in the new Covenant there is nothing of that to be heard of in the old now a man must be under the new Covenant before be can receive the blessing promised in the new Covenant he must be in a new Covenant state before he can receive a new covenant heart no mercy no pardon no change no conversion no grace dispenced out of Covenant Therefore this should be our great inquiry for if we know not where we are we cannot know what we are and if we know not what we are we cannot be what we should be viz. altogether Christians 2 Cor. 13.5 Let me then I beseech you press this duty upon you that are professors try your own hearts examine your selves whether you are in the faith prove your own selves I urge this upon most cogent Arguments 1. Because many rest in a notion of godliness aad outward shews of Religion and yet remain in their natural condition Jam. 1.22 many are hearers of the Word but not doers of it and so deceive their own souls some neither hear nor do these are prophane sinners some both hear and do these are true beleivers some hear but they do not do these are hypocritical professors He that slights the ordinances cannot be a true Christian but yet it is possible a man may own them and profess them yet be no true Christian who would trust to a profession that shall see Judas a Disciple an Apostle a Preacher of the Gospel one that cast out Devils to be cast out himself He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit Ro. 2.28 and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 2. Because errours in the first foundation are very dangerous if we be not right in the main in the fundamental work if the foundation be not laid in grace in the heart all our following profession comes to nothing the house is built upon a sandy foundation and though it may stand for a while yet when the floods come Mat. 7.57 and the winds blow and beat upon it great will be the fall of it 3. Because many are the deceits that our souls are liable to in this case there are many things like grace In similibus facilie est deceptio that are not grace now it is the likeness and similitude of things that deceives and makes one thing be taken for another Many take gifts for grace common knowledge for saving knowledge when as a man may have great gifts and yet no grace great knowledge and yet not know Jesus Christ Some take common faith for saving when as a man may beleive all the truths of the Gospel all the promises all the threatnings all the articles of the Creed to be true and yet perish for want of saving faith Some take morality and restraining grace for piety and renewing grace when as it is common to have sin much restrained where the heart is not at all renewed Some are deceived with a half work taking conviction for conversion Reformation for Regeneration we have many Mermaid Christians Desinit in piscem mulier formosa superne Dan. 2.32.33 Or like Nebuchadnezzars Image head of gold and feet of clay The Devil cheats most men by a Synechdoche putting a part for the whole partial obedience to some commands for universal obedience to all endless are the delusions that Satan fastens upon souls for want of this self-search It is necessary therefore that we try our state least we take the shadow for the substance and imbrace a cloud instead of Juno 4. Satan will try us at one time or other hee 'l winnow us Luk. 2.31 and sift us to the bottom and if we now rest in a groundless confidence it will then end in a comfortless despair Nay God himself will search and try us at the day of judgment especially and who can abide that tryal that never trys his own heart 5. Whatsoever a mans state be whether he be altogether a Christian or no whether his principles be sound or no yet it is good to examine his own heart if he find his heart good Gal. 6.4 his principles right and sound this will be matter of rejoycing if he find his heart rotten his principles false and unsound the discovery is in order to a renewing if a man have a disease upon him and know it he may send to the Physitian in time but what a sad vexation will it be not to see a disease till it be past cure so for a man to be graceless and not see it till it be too late to think himself a Christian when he is not and that he is in the right way to Heaven when he is in the ready way to Hell and yet not know it till a death-bed or a judgement-day confute his confidence This is the most irrecoverable misery These are the grounds upon which I press this duty of examining our state Oh that God would help us in the doing this necessary duty You 'l say But how shall I come to know whiter I am almost or altogether a Christian if a man may go so far and yet miscarry how shall I know when my foundation is right when I am a Christian indeed 1. The altogether Christian closes with and accepts of Christ upon Gospel terms true union makes a true Christian Many close with Christ but it is upon their own terms they take him and own him but not
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
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