discovered he cannot easily engage the godly because they wil discover him the first he uses not because they are not so fit for his work the second he cannot engage because they do not like his work but when he cannot speed any where else then he comes to you the formalist and luke-warm professor who never fails him but amongst these he finds instruments enough and those he most uses for his transactions therefore the devil made use of Judas and of the false brethren in the Churches and of the Scribes and Pharises against Christ and the devout women against Paul Gal. 2.4 Acts 13.15 he uses these rather then any other First because these are most able to hurt the people of God knowing their ways and counsels as the false brethren did 2 Cor. 11.26 Secondly because their opposition to religion seems to carry in it some weight and reason and men judge there is some great evil in it which these men see or they would never oppose The Scribes and Pharisees would not so oppose as they do if they did not see more evil in these things then we do John 7.48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees beleeved on him Thirdly it is greater reproach to religion and to the professors of it when the devil can ingage some against it that have profest it as the Lord wounds the kingdome of Sathan by conversion so doth Satan wound the kingdom of Christ by tempting men to Apostasy 7. You are the greatest hinderers of the salvation of other men for many have their eyes upon you and they reason thus with themselves these men are wise men and civil men they are good men and wil be wary they know what they do and we wil follow them we wil go no farther then they go Many more that wil not take a Drunkard or prophane Swearer for example in Religion wil take one of you for a president whom he sees to walk civilly and morally in your conversations and perhaps he wil give more heed to you because of your wisdom and wariness in the world then to those who walk more close with God as we see the people looked more to the Scribes and Pharisees then to Christ and it was not the Publican that kept off so many from Christ but the Pharisee so I say that wo may fall upon you which was pronounc'd against them and it is a fearful one Mat. 23.11 because they neither enterd into the kingdom of heaven themselves nor yet suffered those who were entring in to go in Cons 8. You are a people of whom the Lord speaks no good God is so tender that he will not pass by any good where ever he finds it if it be never so small he will not pass it over without observation yet when he speaks of such as you are he cannot afford them one good word we find the Lord who will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax would take notice of some good that was in Abijah who was of Jeroboams house 1. King 14.13 when he comes to speak of the Church of Laodicea who was of this lukewarme temper he speaks never a word in commendation of her Rev. 3.17 She had high thoughts of herself but God thought not so of her He reproves the rest of the Churches for their sins and threatens sore but he commends some good in every one except Laodicea thus I say the Lord wil speak no good of you you may perhaps think as highly of your selves as she did but at the last day are like to hear the worst of your selves of any generation of men whatsoever Cons 9. God doth not only speak no good of them but they are of all sorts of men most despised of him We use to say he is poor that God hates surely then the half Christian is a poor man if ther be any one poor under heaven for no man carries such a brand of infamy and reproach upon him as he doth God does abominate such a man more then he does the prophane Esau or the scoffing Ismael or the unclean Sodomites men that are down right Atheists or plain Idalators or that have no pretences to the fear or service of God are not such an abhorring to God as these men are I will convince you by two or three instances of this that you may see and fear to rest in such a state as this is see such a temper compared with him who has no religion at all Rev. 3.15 I know thy works that thou are neither cold nor hot I would thou wert cold or hot God wishes they were rather stark cold God had rather men had no pretence to religion at all that they were stupid and had no life nor motion at all then to move thus better be without sense then not to have a true sense better have no convictions nor stirrings under the Word nor pretence to love or fear God then not to be in good earnest better to do nothing then to stick at any thing Now this must needs be a sad profession which God dislikes rather then no profession Secondly see it compared with idolatry which of all sins which do openly shew themselves does most affront God to his face and therefore the Lord threatens the setting up of Idols in his jealousie in the second Commandement the Drunkard the Swearer the unclean person do not so openly oppose God as the Idolater because he does manifestly ungod him But he that is a down-right idolater is not so bad as he that is a halter in the worship of God the Prophet complains of the present temper of the children of Israel that they did halt betwixt two opinions they would not cleave to Baal nor yet to God 1 King 18.21 And Elijah said unto all the people How long halt ye between two opinions If the LORD be God follow him but if Baal then follow him so it may be said to the half Christian why do you halt betwixt a Baal and God to have a heart divided betwixt God and corruption is worse then to serve sin with all the heart Thirdly see it compared with open prophaness we find the servant who did but comply with the wicked and prophane in eating and drinking with them that were drunken yet threatned more then all the rest Mat. 24.49 50 51. The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not ware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth He did not cast off his subjection to his master altogether he said not that he had no master neither did he cast off the thoughts of his masters coming but he removed them a little from him and when he had done this we do not find that he was a drunkard but he began to associate with them he began to neglect his duty and to
the same in secret that they are in publick he wil take no notice of it Upon this account he would not know those Formalists mentioned Matth. 6.16 This vvil be enough to prove you to be but Christians in part in that you are not Christians in secret That a man is that he is when he is alone that which a man thinks of designes for and delights in most in private that shews vvhat a man is Thirdly some are perswaded to be Christians but not amongst all persons they will be good amongst the good but not amongst the evil they can swim down the stream vvith the godly but not up the stream like Peter they vvil professe vvhile they are amongst the Disciples that they vvil die with Christ but when they are amongst those that deny him they vvil not know the man They are not able to stand before the breath of a scorner one that scoffs at Religion beats them out of their profession How many be there that vvil professe Christ very far amongst professors where it is a credit to own God who yet vvil be ashamed of this when they fall amongst those who vvill reproach his vvays then either they joyn vvith the scorner and deny Christ or else stand still in a base neutrality and betray profession by their silence as if there were a guilt in it Thus Saul would be a Prophet amongst the Prophets but when he comes into his Family the evil spirit seizeth upon him but surely such as these will be found too light when they are weighed in the scales Observe that of our Saviour Mark 8.38 Whosoever shal be ashamed of me and of my words in that adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his father with the blessed Angels Christ wil own those and those only who have owned him before wicked men before scoffers and scorners and such as labour to bring shame and contempt upon all that own God therefore says Christ it is not he that confesses me now and favours me secretly or openly before these who professe themselves followers of me and my word that shall then be countenanc'd if he be ashamed of me before those who labour to make all men ashamed of me Oh consider this you that would be accounted good amongst them that set an high esteem upon good men but if you meet with those that scoff aâ— goodness you are for them too you are silent at least when the ways and name and people of God are blasphemed or reproached especially if it be a friend or a customer or a great man then you must say as they say or at least say nothing to the contrary Remember what Christ hath said and how he wil look upon you as being the shame of profession and of his name when he comes in his glory how do you expect to be justified before all the world who dared not to be good in all places and all companies IV. Some are so far perswaded that they wil be Christians in respect of the whole visibility of profession but they wil not take up the power and spirituality of it they wil reform so far that they will cleanse the outside abstain from all visible ungodliness yea and take the form of godliness too as the Apostle mentions some who did so 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godliness and yet they did deny the power that is they did refuse to stoop to the power of it there are two parts of Religion the form which is visible and lies open to men this consists in reforming the outward man the denying of ungodliness and worldly lusts this is the negative part It lies also in a performance of all those duties which come under the observation of others as hearing the Word reading conferring of it praying in the publick and in our families with a sober and unblameable conversation towards men All this a man may submit unto and yet be but almost a Christian For there is yet another part of Religion which is the very soul of it and this lies hid from the eyes of others and consists in two things principally First in the performance of secret duties as self-denial self-tryal and examination watchfulness over their hearts and thoughts mortifying of inward corruptions Secondly it consisteth in the frame and bent of the heart in these and all other duties towards God The main of Religion lies here in fearing and loving of God These are things which men may and do often omit and passe over who yet do embrace the whole body and outside of Godlinesse Praying Reading Hearing are but the Cabinet which contain this Jewel But godliness consisteth in a right and true disposition of the heart under these Now if Christianity did imply no more then most men conceive it doth if it were only an abstaining from gross and common pollutions of the world and taking up of all those duties which are commonly confest to be such by men professing themselves Christians they would be Christians altogether But the Lord will finde amongst those that perform the duties which make men visible Christians and submit to all his Ordinances many that are but almost Christians at the most and that upon this account because they never attended unto the spirituality of duties They prayed and heard the word received the Sacraments but they were carnal still their old hearts did continue their practices were changed but their principles and their interests were the same still their faces were turned but not their affections the one stood towards God but the other was toward some lust or other Fifthly Some would be Christians in all things till it come to the beloved sin till it come to profit and losse and when they are touched here they cry out The Lord pardon me in this one thing If the Minister press at any time upon men the necessity of an universal change they mistake it and think that by this universal we mean a general change that is a change in the greater and more visible part A leaving the greater number of known sins and a submitting to the greater number of known duties they think no rule so general but admits of some exceptions in particulars They think one sin may be reserved without prejudice to their closing with Christ and think they may hold fast enough with one hand upon him though they keep the other to take hold of sin and vanity If at any time they apprehend the truth as bent against the toleration of any sin and they see a necessity of parting with Dalilah or Heaven then they say This is a hard saying who can hear it They would willingly be followers of Christ if he would give them a dispensation for some things which they account but smal though the least sin is too bigg to lie with Christ in the heart How many do part with Christ upon this point when he
and offered very fair at Heaven seeing doubtless a great good in salvation but the reason why he went not through with his purchase was this he saw not the supream good in it though he apprehended it a good thing to inheriteternal life yet he saw something which to him was better had this been the chief good in his account it would have been his chief desire And doubtless seeing all have the same stock of these first principles to trade upon by living under the meanes they may be so heightned that they may see what he did a degree of goodness and happiness in the enjoyment of spiritual things and may be induced to do even as he did having a proportionable measure of perswasion to embrace those things and to comply with the means leading to them These are perswasions or else they would not be moved to do any thing they are not ful perswasions for then they would stick at nothing but they are imperfect are more or less according to those apprehensions which they have of the excellency of God and of his ways of which the natural man by the light of nature and the super-added light of the word may have a weak sight but without the work of grace cannot have a true sight such as should draw him out to seek after God with all his heart yet though he sees not all he sees much and though he will not do all that he is commanded yet he wil be perswaded to do many things for though a carnal man cannot apprehend any good in the strictest profession of godliness which is accompanied with the greatest self denial and exposes men to the greatest hazards yet he dos oft apprehend much good in partial complyance with Religion for this he supposes may not spoil his particular interest and yet may attain the end which is true happiness upon this account most men have their measures of perswasion some are greater some less but some do border upon a ful perswasion they are almost perswaded or perswaded to be almost Christians 2 These perswasions do arise from good education in many good counsel instructions being wrought wisely into them by the skil and industry of their Parents and friends these being backt with good examples fenced by discipline many have been drawn by love to entreat or driven by fear into a profession of what is good by long custom they seem to have gotten a nature and they act in a profession as if they were disposed to it by grace whiâ—es they want the temptations which others have they seem to be fully perswaded to be Christians but when friends or parents are taken away who were as a hedg about them and kept many temptations from approaching neer them or when they are taken from their friends and called to live upon their own stock in some place where they see other examples meet with temptations of all sorts they soon shew what and whence their former perswasions were they shew that ignorance of evil or want of temptations to it only made them seem good But without doubt next unto grace good education dos most of all work upon the spirits of men yea it can do any thing but renew the heart we â—ee how children suck in the opinions and perswasions of their Parents and ordinarily they do more zealously defend what came from them by tradition then what the light of the word afforded them Nay it is no very difficult thing for parents to draw their children to imitate the for the examples of those whom vve love perswade to that which for itself we do not love yea and being drawn once to do any thing in imitation of anotâ—e whom we honour we continue in it lest we should be a dishonour to our copie and thus by continuance we come to be perswaded of what we do and arise so high in notion and external profession that nothing is wanting but the power of those truths which we assent unto and spirituality of those duties which we perform Thus the Parent or the master makes his child or servant almost a Christian but it s the Lord only can make him altogether such 3. Convictions and perswasions rise high by some special providence God knocks so hard at the door of natural mens consciences by some afflictions or eminent danger of death that although he does not open the heart as he did Lydias yet he makes a breach at which some truth enters which coming in with such conviction and power for the present yea and perhaps for the future makes some changes in the mans apprehensions and resolutions Thus Pharoah himself was convinc'd of the power of God under affliction whom he would not know in prosperity When Gods providences were calm he thunders as if there were none greater then he but when God thunders he is calm and is brought by degrees as the storm did increase to consent to Moses demands though never fully and with all his heart Ahab when he was terrified with the sharp message of Elisha how does he seem as a man changed 1 King 21.27 he puts ashes upon his head girds him with sackcloth as a man mortified and dead to this world yet who that reads the story of Ahabs life judges this to be any more then the lightning which shined in his conscience while the Prophet thundred Thus we see men upon a sick-bed while they are under strong apprehensions and fears of death yea and of hel too promise much to others and resolve much with themselves yea and perswade themselves that they are in good earnest and engage if God spare them that they wil be altogether Christians and give great hopes to others while the least we can judge of them is that they are almost Christians There is no evil that conscience convinceth them of or any friend can mind them of in their former lives but they wil confess lament and covenant against no duty then discovered but they wil assent unto and ngage to take up if God wil try them the terrors of the Almighty are so dreadful that they vvil do any thing rarher then go to hell Thus Francis Spira who deliberately and in cold blood denyed the truth yet when he lay in his bitter agonies he said if he might be but freed from them he vvould despise all the tyrants in the vvorld he vvould never be afraid to profess the truth vvith the greatest hazard When the foolish Virgins were alarumed with the noise of that dreadful cry at midnight Behold the Bridegroom comes they then begin to look to their Lamps and they begin to cry for oyl a thing vvhich they never sought for before when they vvere awakened vvith the terror of the Lords approach then they run too and fro from one to another crying give me a little of your oyl nothing less enquired for before nothing askt for else now though it be a truth that the Judge stands before
a christian and is not so altogether is very far from being a christian though convictions and perswasions may be strong in such as are not yet regenerated and they may go very far as I have shewed you in opening the Doctrine Nay if they should go so far as to give their goods to the poor and their bodies to the fire and many such things which may seem very glorious in the eyes of men yet let all that such men do be seriously weighed and considered and you shal find it exceeding smal The most glorious hypocrite in the world and the cunningest formalist that hath put on the outside of Religion and in many things can hardly be discerned to be such is lighter then vanity it self compared with a true Christian Though these are like Saul among the people taller by the head and shoulders yet set him amongst Christians and he is a Dwarf and though he may be of great esteem for a Christian with some yet he is stil a Christian onely in little things Now this is that which I shall labour to make plaine and evident unto you it being my great designe in this to pull down the high and lofty spirits of formal and empty professors who content themselves to vvalk in a stinted profession and whiles they look to some things in which they exceed many others as to some common works of conviction which they have had and to some measure of perswasion and to their outward profession they think themselves to be some body they are nothing they think they do much vvhen indeed they do little The Apostle speaking of the performances of hypocrites 1 Cor. 13.2 says expresly if this were all that he had to shew to prove himself a Christian he were not only little but nothing All these without grace would make me nothing These are great things with some men and would make a man passe for such but these things wil not make a man seem any thing before the Lord and if we look upon such aright they vvil seem little to us which I shal demonstrate four ways DEMONSTRATION 1. 1. A formalist is a Christian in little things because he does but little in comparison of Christ who is his pattern 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saies he abides in Christ ought to walk as he walked Now if we compare the half-christian with Jesus Christ who is an example of holiness unto whom every one that is called after his name should be conformed we shal finde him to be empty and lame indeed it would require much time to compare the life of such a person with Christ in particulars But you wil say If we compare the best mens lives with Christ they wil be found to fal short as wel as he and the strongest christians wil be as nothing in comparison of him Ans Though the best christians have cause to be humbled for their failings when they look to Christ whom they are to follow yet there is a great difference betwixt these and the formalist in this thing For though there be a seeming conformity in every hypocrite to Christ yet it is but in appearance not in reality but there is a real and sincere conformity to Christ in every true christian 2. Though there be some likeness yet there is more unlikeness to Christ in the half-christian but in the true christian though there be some unlikeness yet there is more likeness for first though they have flesh as wel as spirit and a part unregenerate as wel as regenerate yet the spirit doth prevail over the flesh and the regenerate over the unregenerate so that this may and does stil passe for the principal part it is not so with the formalist for at the best he is carnal and altogether flesh Secondly though he fails in every duty and there is some corruption mixed with what he does yet there is something of Christ in every duty and this weighs down all his corruption but in a formalist there is nothing of Christ in any duty that he performs though he may exercise parts and have great enlargements yet there is nothing of grace in it and so no conformity to Christ Thirdly though there be a great difference betwixt the actions of Christ and a christian in respect of the perfection required in the Law Christ did every thing according to the righteousness of the Law yet in respect of that perfection which the gospel admits of there is not so much disproportion betwixt the obedience of Christ and a christian If the Law were to be judge of this it would cast away all that a beleever does and conclude it no way like to what Christ hath done because not every way like it but let the gospel judge it and it will acknowledge a great conformity in the one to the other Romans 8.29 yea there is such a conformity in a beleever to Christ that he is accounted perfect Phil. 3.15 Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded The work of holinesse in him is so deemed 2 Cor. 7.1 Perfecting holiness in the fear of God and particular graces are pronounced perfect 1 John 2.5 all these are in the gospel acceptation so that with the favourable interpretation of the gospel you see a beleever is very like to Christ who is his pattern but all the grace and favour that the gospel doth shew to any cannot so help a formalist to make him to appeare like to Christ in this sense 4. Though in all things he does not attain to that measure of perfection to be able to walk as Christ walked yet in his desires and designes he is so there is the same minde in him that was in Christ take the inner man of the heart and you shall find it exactly like to Christ renewed in knowledge and in grace also according to his image Col. 3.10 John 1.16 Of his fulness have we all received grace for grace Look to his principles and they are the same love to God and to the word of God and wil of God this is his meat and drink as it was Christs John 4.34 Thus it was with David Psalm 119.97 O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day Look to his ends they are like Christs the honour and glory of God and the good of other souls as we find Phil. 1.21.24 But to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Neverthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needful for you So that all things considered there is more agreement and conformity betwixt the life of Christ and a true christian then there is disagreement or non-conformity they agree in more then they do differ in but the life of a halting christian is so far short of following that he is not any way like him so that upon this account he that is but almost a Christian does very little in all that he does because it is no way proportioned to the life of Christ
comply vvith the prophane whom he should have curbed and now the Lord passes by them and seems to take less notice of their open wickedness then of his secret complyance with it thus it is with many who wil not be or dare not be Swearers or Drunkards but they wil keep a hand for the drunkard or the scoffer they will be the friends and familiarâ— with such in secret they have not gotten so much zeal for God and for his ways as to despise a vile person Psalm 15.4 but such as these God complains of by the Prophet Hos 7.8 Israel was a cake not turned if you look upon their outside they were Christians but if you could see the inside they were idolaters Such God wil spue out of his mouth with the greatest loathing possible he does most commonly cast them out of their profession here and out of their Church-priviledges if they be under any 1 Cor. 11.19 or if not here when he comes to judgement he will surely remember these they shal be cast out before men and Angels Mat. 24.51 they shall have their portion with hypocrites there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth these shal have a place in hel by themselves the prophanest sort of men wil hiss them out of their company the devils will stand off from them because they seemed to be distinct from them in the world and as for the godly they shal be separated from them because they were not of them Thus these hypocrites shal have a place by themselves and if any worse then other it â—â—al be theirs As of all sorts of sinners these are the worst because hypocrites so of all kinde of hypocrites these are worst It is a great mistake amongst the common people who think none are hypocrites but they which make some extraordinary profession of Religion they judge them to be hypocrites and them onely who make a greater profession then the common standard by which the multitude measure their Religion will allow of so that none are reckoned for hypocrites but those who are noted for professors This I say is a great mistake for there is not a wicked man or woman in this place how prophane soever but is an hypocrite for every one here does profess himself a Christian and if it be not so he is an hypocrite there is not one here that wil renounce all interest in Christ or that will openly in words refuse obedience to him yea there is not one here but does at some times in some wayes professe a subjection to him and shall therefore at the last not onely be condemned with the prophane for saying Christ shall not reign over them but they shall be judged with the Hypocrite for saying that they go when they go not as the evil son Matthew 21.30 who added a lie to his disobedience But although amongst them that call themselves Christians there be many kindes of hypocrites and all that take the name of Christian upon them are either Saints or hypocrites yet these which are almost Christians are the worst of hypocrites he that is almost a Christian is of the highest form of hypocrites the higher a man rises in profession if it be not in truth the higher he arises in hypocrisie for he that does not follow God fully when he is at the height he is but almost a Christian and that is but a raised piece of hypocrisie and when a man is in this condition this is his misery that all his profession does but increase his sin he is so much the more an elaborate hypocrite Of all persons Christ cries out against these in the Scripture how often does he cry out Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for all the people of the Jews by virtue of their profession were such who did not obey the truth But these did excel in profession they went beyond others in many degrees and yet did not love the truth vvith all their hearts therefore he cries out more against the Scribes and Pharisees hypoâ—crites then against the Publicans and harlots Hypocrites Mat. 22.13 14 15 23 25 Christ did not cry out against these for Hypocrites for doing more then others but for not doing vvhat they ought to do Hypocrisie lies not in making more profession then vve ought but in doing less then vve do profess Therefore although he condemned their hypocrisie yet he commended their profession and set people to imitate and exceed them Mat. 5.20 Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven Cons 10. These are the greatest despisers of God of Heaven and holiness of any people these bring the greatest contempt upon the kingdom of Heaven of any because they come in sight of it and then go back which is a manifest contempt God was more angry with the people of Israel for talking of returning back to Egypt when they were in the widerness then for all their unwillingness to come out of Egypt Nay he was more offended at their unwillingness to go into Canaan when they came upon the borders of it then for all their murmuring at the red sea especially when they had seen the fruit of it this was a manifest contempt of the good land for if they should have gone back after they came so near unto Canaan it would have broughtmore discredit upon that land then if they had never stirr'd out of Egypt for if they had refused to go out of Egypt all men would have imputed it to their idleness but if they had returned the fault would have been laid upon the land If a man passes by your shops and inquires not for any commodity you take little notice of him but if he see your goods and cheapen them and leave them he either condemns the commodity or the seller either it is not good or it is too dear So men that look not after Heaven do but neglect it but those who come to buy and yet will not come up to the terms these discredit it When men come so neer it as the young man did who was offered it and yet left it when there was but one thing lacking these do bring the greatest dislike upon the things of God of any men alive for these men do in effect say it is not so much worth they say that God offers it at too dear a rate and what greater reproach can there be cast upon the kingdom of heaven then to say it is too dear The prophane sort of men do but neglect it they never ask after it they cheapen not but the half Christian he sees and asks and cheapens but will not buy this is a villifying of it This is your case you that are almost christians you wil bee found the greatest contemners of the ways of God for other men fall short out of ignorance as having not seen or known God but you come oftentimes so neer that you see the kingdom of