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
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
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
promise to Sol. There is a suffering for Christ that is a note of sincerity and shall have its reward Col. 1.24 Mat. 5.10.11 12. That is when a man suffers for a good cause upon a good call and with a good conscience for Christs sake and in Christs strength when his sufferings are a filling up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ when a man suffers as a Christian as the Apostle hath it 1 Pet. 4.6 if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Mat. 14.28 29. when a man thrusts not himself into suffering but stays Gods call such suffering is a proof of integrity But now every suffering for Christ is not suffering as a Christian For 1. A man may suffer for Christ for that profession of Religion that is upon him the World hates the shew of Religion times may come that it may cost a man as dear to wear the Livery of Christ as to wear Christ himself 1 Tim. 1.19.20 2 Tim. 4.14 Alexander had like to have lost his life for the Gospels sake Acts 19.33 yet he was that Alexander as is generally judged that afterward made Shipwrack of faith and greatly opposed Pauls Ministry 2. A man may suffer for Christ and yet have no true love to Christ This is supposed in 1 Cor. 13.3 Though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profits nothing Love to Christ is the onely noble ground of suffering but a man may suffer much upon other ends 1. Out of Opinion of meriting by our sufferings as the Papists or 2. Out of vain-glory Vicit amor satriae laudisque immensa cupido or for applause among professors some have dyed that their names might live or 3. Out of a Roman resolution or stoutness of spirit 4. Out of a design of profit as Judas forsook all for Christ hoping to mend his Market by closing with him or 5. Rather to maintain an Opinion then for truths propagation Socrates dyed for maintaining that there was but one God but whether he dyed rather for his own Opinion then for Gods sake I think it is no hard matter to determine Thus a man may suffer for professing Christ and yet suffer upon wrong principles Now then if a man may suffer for Christ from the profession that is upon him or suffer for Christ and yet not truely love him then a man may suffer for Christ and yet be but almost a Christian 14. A man may be called of God and imbrace this call and yet be but almost a Christian Judas is a famous instance of this truth he was called by Christ himself and came at the call of Christ and yet Judas was but almost a Christain But is not the being under the call of God a proof of our interest in the predestinating love of God doth not the Apostle say whom he predestinated them he called Rom. 8.30 Nay doth he not say in the same verse whom he called them he justisied Nay doth not God call all whom he intends to save Mat 20.16 Sol. Though God calleth all those that shall be saved yet all shall not be saved whom God calleth every man under the Gospel is called of God in one sense or other but yet every man under the Gospel shall not therefore be saved For many are called but few are chosen There is a twofold call of God Internal External 1. There is an internal call of God Now this call is a special work of the spirit by the Ministry of the Word whereby a man is brought out of a state of nature into a state of grace out of darkness into light Act. 26.18 from being vessels of wrath to be made heirs of life Joh. 6.45 I grant that whoever is under this call of God is called effectually and savingly called to be a Christian indeed Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father comes to me 2. There is a call of God which a man may have and yet not be this call there is an External call of God which is by the Ministry of the Word Mat. 22 9 Now every man that lives under the Preaching of the Gospel is thus called God calls every soul of you to repent and lay a sure foundation for Heaven and salvation by the word you hear this day But now every man that is thus called is not therefore a Christian For. 1. Many under the call of God come to Christ but are not converted to Christ have nothing of the grace and life of Christ such as he Mat. 22. who when Christ sent out his servants to bid guests unto the Marriage came in at the call of Christ but yet had not on the wedding Garment v. 11. that is had none of the grace and righteousness of Jesus Christ 2. Many that are under the call of the Gospel come to Christ and yet afterwards fall away from Christ as Judas and Demas did it is said 2 Tim. 4.10 when Christ preached a Doctrine which his Disciples did not like that from that time many of his Disciples went back Joh. 6.66 and walked no more with him Now then if many are under this external call of God onely if many that come to Christ are not converted to Christ but fall away from Christ then a man may be called of God and yet be but almost a Christian 15. A man may have the spirit of God and yet be but almost a Christian Balaam had the spirit of God given him when he blessed Israel Numb 24.2 Balaam saw Israel abiding in Tents and the spirit of the Lord came upon him Judas had for by the spirit he cast out Devils he was one of them that came to Christ and said Lord even the Devils are subject to us Saul had 1 Sam. 10.10 Behold a company of Prophets met him and the spirit of God came upon him and he prophecyed among them But you 'l say can a man have the spirit of God and yet not be a Christian indeed the Scripture saith If any man have not the spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 he is none of his but surely if any man have the spirit of Christ he is his Sol. There is a having the spirit which is a sure mark of Saint-ship Where the spirit is as an effectual prevailing principle of grace and sanctification renewing and regenerating the heart Ro. 8.26 Where the spirit is as a potent worker helping the souls infirmities Joh. 14.16 Where the spirit is so as to abide for ever But now every man that hath the spirit hath not the spirit in this manner For 1. A man may have the spirit onely transiently not abidingly the spirit may be in a man and yet not dwell in a man the spirit is where ever he dwels but he doth not dwell where-ever he is he is in all but dwels in Saints onely he is in all per divinitatis
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
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
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
perish and go to Hell in the midst of all their performances and duties meerly for want of a little sincerity of heart to God Jer. 17.9 Now where there is not a change of state a work of grace in the heart there can be no sincerity to God-ward for this is not quid proveniens a natura it is not an herb that grows in natures garden the heart of man is naturally deceitful and desperately wicked more opposite to sincerity then to any thing as things corrupted carry a greater dissimilitude to what they were then to any thing else which they never were God made man upright now man voluntarily losing this is become more dislike to himself then to any thing below himself he is more like a Lyon a Wolf a Bear a Serpent a Toad then to man in innocency So that it is impossible to find sincerity in any soul till there be a work of grace wrought there by the spirit of God and hence it is that a man is but almost a Christian when he hath done all The fourth Question 4. What is the reason that many go no farther in the profession of Religion then to be almost Christians Reas 1 1. It is because they deceive themselves in the truth of their own condition they mistake their state and think it good and safe when it is bad and dangerous A man may look upon himself as a member of Christ and yet God may look upon him as a Vessel of wrath as a Child of God by looking more upon his sins then his graces more upon his failings then his faith more upon in dwelling lusts then renewing grace may think his case very bad when yet it is very good I am black saith the Spouse Cant. 1.5 and yet saith Christ O thou fairest among Women v. 8. So the sinner by looking more upon his duties then his sins may think he sees his name written in the book of life and yet be in the account of God a very reprobate Gal. 6.3 There is nothing more common then for a man to think himself something when he is nothing and so he deceives himself many a man blesses himself in his interest in Christ when he is indeed a stranger to him many a man thinks his sin pardoned when alas he is still in the Gall of bitterness and bond of liniquity Act 8.23 Many a man thinks he hath Grace when he hath none there is saith Salomon that makes himself rich Prov. 13.7 and yet hath nothing This was the very temper of Laodicea Rev. 3.17 Thou sayst I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not pray mind that that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Thou knowst not as bad as she was she thought her state good as poor as she was in grace she thought she was rich as miserable and naked as she was yet she thought she had need of nothing Now there are several rises or grounds of this mistake I 'le name five to you Gen. 27.36 Supplan tativum cor prae omni First The desperate deceitfulness of the heart of every natural man Jer. 17.9 the heart is deceitful above all things the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with Jacobs name now you know he was a supplanter of his Brother Esau he is rightly called Jacob saith he for he hath supplanted me these two times So the word signifies to be fraudulent subtile deceitful and supplanting Thus is the heart of every natural man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deceitful above all things Ps 52.4 Ye read of the deceitfulness of the tongue And of the deceitfulness of riches Mat. 13.22 Prov. 31.30 Job 6.15 And of the deceitfulness of beauty And of the deceitfulness of friends Rev. 20.3 But yet the heart is deceitful above them all nay you read of the deceitfulness of Satan yet truely a mans heart is a greater deceiver then he for he could never deceive a man if his own heart did not deceive him Now it is from hence that a man presumes upon the goodness of his case from the desperate treachery of his own heart Prov. 28.26 How common is it for men to boast of the goodness of their hearts I thank God though I do not make such a shew and pretence as some do yet I have as good a heart as the best Oh do but hear Salomon in this case He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool will any wise man commit his money to a Cutpurse will he trust a Cheat It is a good rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remember to distrust and it was Austins prayer domine libera me a meipso That man that trusts to his own heart shall be sure to find himself deceived at last Secondly This mistake arises from the pride of a mans spirit there is a proud heart in every natural man there was much of this pride in Adams sin and there is much of it in all Adams sons it is a radical sin and from hence arises this overweening opinion of a mans state and condition Salomon saith Eccles 7.16 Aug sent 36 be not righteous overmuch Austin speaking occasionally of those words saith it is not justitia sapientis but superbia praesumentis not meant of the righteousness of the wise man but of the pride of the presumptuous man Now in this sense every carnal man is righteous overmuch though he hath none of that righteousness which commends him to God viz. the righteousness of Christ yet he hath too much of that righteousness which commends him to himself and that is self-righteousness A proud man hath an eye to see his beauty but not his deformity his parts but not his spots his seeming righteousness but not his real wretchedness Ephes 3.8 1 Tim. 1.15 Lu. 18.11 It must be a work of grace that must shew a man the want of grace The haughty eye looks upward but the humble eye looks downward and therefore this is the beleivers Motto the least of Saints the greatest of sinners but the carnal mans Motto is I thank God I am not as other men 1 Sam. 21.14 Thirdly Many deceive themselves with common grace instead of saving through that resemblance that is between them as many take counterfeit money for current coyn so do too many take common grace for true in similibus facilis est deceptio Saul took the Devil for Samuel because he appeared in the mantle of Samuel so many take common grace for saving because it is like saving grace a man may be under a supernatural work and yet fall short of a saving work the first raiseth Nature the second onely reneweth Nature though every saving work of the spirit be supernatural yet every supernatural work of the spirit is not saving and hence many deceive their own souls by taking a supernatural work for
while they might have shelter in it but when it suffers forsake it least it should fall and the fall should be upon them I am perswaded this is not the least reason why God hath brought the wheel upon the profession of Religion viz. to rid it of the vermine He shakes the foundation of the house that these Rats and Mice may quit the roof not to overturne it but to rid them out of it as the Husbandman fans the Wheat that he may get rid of the â—haff The Halcyon days of the Gospel provoke Hyyocrisie but the sufferings of Religion prove sincerity Now then if custome and fashion make many men professours then a man may profess Religion and yet be but almost a Christian 4. If many may perish under a profession of godliness then a man may profess Religion and yet be but almost a Christian Psal 50.5 Now the Scripture is clear that a man may perish under the highest profession of Religion Christ cursed the Fig tree that had leaves and no fruit It is said Mat. 8.12 That the Children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into outer Darkness who were these but they that were then the onely people of God in the World by profession that had made a Covenant with him by sacrifice and yet these cast out Mat. 7. v. 22. In Mat. 7.22 you read of some that came and made boast of their profession to Christ hoping that might save them Lord say they have we not prophecyed in thy name cast out Devils in thy name done many wonderful works in thy name v. 23. Now what saith our Lord Christ to this Then I will profess unto them I never knew you depart from me Mark here are them that prophecy in his name and yet perish in his wrath in his name cast out Devils and then are cast out themselves in his name do many wonderful works and yet perish for wicked workers The profession of Religion will no more keep a man from perishing then calling a Ship the Safeguard or the Good-speed will keep her from drowning As many go to Heaven with the fear of Hell in their hearts so many go to Hell with the name of Christ in their Mouths Now then if many may perish under a profession of godliness then may a man be a high professor of Religion and yet be but almost a Christian Mat 10.32 But is it not said by the Lord Christ himself he that confesses me before men him will I confess before my Father in Heaven Now for Christ to say he will confess us before the father is equivalent to a promise of eternal life for if Jesus Christ confess us God the Father will never disown us Sol. True they that confess Christ shall be confessed by him and it is as true that this confession is equivalent to a promise of salvation But now you must know that professing Christ is not confessing him for to profess Christ is one thing to confess Christ is another confession is a living testimony for Christ in a time when Religion suffers profession may be onely a lifeless formallity in a time when Religion prospers To confess Christ is to chuse his ways and own them to profess Christ is to plead for his ways and yet live besides them Profession may be from a feigned love to the ways of Christ but confession is from a rooted love to the Person of Christ To profess Christ is to own him when none deny him to confess Christ is to plead for him and suffer for him when others oppose him Hypocrites may be professors but the Martyrs are the true confessors profession is a swimming down the stream confession is a swimming against the stream Now many may swim with the stream like the dead fish that cannot swim against the stream with the living fish many may profess Christ that can't confess Christ and so notwithstanding their profession yet are but almost Christians 4. To come yet nearer A man may go far in opposing his sin and yet be but almost a Christian How far a man may go in this work I shall shew you in seven Gradual instances First A man may be convinced of sin and yet be but almost a Christian For 1. Conviction may be rational as well as spiritual it may be from a natural conscience enlightned by the word without the effectual work of the Spirit applying sin to the heart 2. Convictions may be worn out they many times go off and end not in sound conversion saith the Church we have been with Child we have been in pain we have brought forth wind Isa 26.18 This is the complaint of the Church in reference to the unprofitableness of their afflictions and it may be the complaint of most in reference to the unprofitableness of their convictions 3. many take convictions of sin to be conversion from sin and so sit down and rest in their conviction That is a sad complaint God makes of Ephraim Ephraim is an unwise son for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of Children Hos 13.13 Now then if convictions may be onely from natural conscience if they may be worn out or may be mistaken and rested in for conversion then a man may have convictions and be but almost a Christian Heb. 12.16.17 Secondly A man may mourn for sin and yet be but almost a Christian so did Saul so did Esau for the loss of his birthright which was his sin and therefore he is called by the spirit of God prophane Esau yet he sought it again carefully with tears But doth not Christ pronounce them blessed that mourn Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn Sure then if a man mourn for sin he is in a good condition you see saith Nazianzen Greg Naz. Jrat 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that salvation is joyned with forrow Sol. I answer it is true that they who mourn for sin in the sence Christ there speaks of are blessed but all mourning for sin doth not therefore render us blessed 1. True mourning for sin must flow from spiritual conviction of the evil and vileness and damnable nature of sin Now all that mourn for sin don't do it from a through work of spiritual conviction upon the soul they have not a right sense of the evil and vileness of sin 2. True mourning for sin is more for the evil that is in sin then the evil that comes by sin more because it dishonours God and wounds Christ and grieves the Spirit and makes the soul unlike God then because it damns the soul Mat. 8.12 Now there are many that mourn for sin not so much for the evil that is in it as for the evil that it brings with it there is mourning for sin in Hell you read of weeping and wailing there The damned are weeping and mourning to eternity there is all sorrow and no comfort as in Heaven their is peace
name of Jesus then for conformity to the life of Jesus more zealous for a holy vestment then for a holy life more zealous for the inventions of men then for the institutions of Christ This is a superstitious zeal Heathens will rise up in judgment against such men Deus non superstitione coli vale sed pietate said Cicero and usually found in men unconverted whom grace never was wrought in When was it that Paul was so exceedingly zealous of the traditions of his Fathers as he saith Gal. 1.14 but only when he was in his wretched and unconverted state as you may see in the next verses But when it pleased God to call me by his grace Gal. 1 15 16. then I conferred not with flesh and blood Paul had another kind of zeal then acted by other kind of Principles Cer. 34.14 15. comp with v. 25 26 27 28 29. Fourthly There is a selfish zeal that hath a mans own ends for its motive Jehu was very zealous but it was not so much for God as for the Kingdom not so much in obedience to the command as in design to step into the Throne and therefore God threatens to punish him for that very thing he commands him to do Hos 1.4 I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu Because he shed that blood to gratifie his lust not to obey God So Simeon and Levi pretend great zeal for Circumcision seem very zealous for the honour of Gods Ordinance when in truth their zeal was for covetousness and revenge upon the Shechemites It is storyed of Dr. Aylmer that in his young days he was very high against the pride and covetousness of the Bishops and in a book of his he thus speaks to them come off you Bishops away with your superfluities yeild up your thousands be content with a little 1 Cor. 13.11 But afterwards when he himself came to be Bishop of London then his profits and preferment had eat up his zeal and he would confess to his friends that he had been of another strain in his youth abusing those words of Paul when I was a Child I spake as a Child I understood as a child I thought as a Child Fifthly There is an outside zeal such was that of the Scribes and Pharises they would not eat with unwashed hands but yet would live in unseen sins they would wash the cup often but the heart seldom paint the outside but neglect the inside Ne appetat quisquam ultra videri quam est ut possit ustra esse quam videtur Greg. Jehu was a mighty out-side reformer 2 Kings 10.16 but he reformed nothing within for he had a base heart under all v. 31. Jehu took no heed towalk in the Law of the Lord with all his heart Though his fleece was fair his liver was rotten Our Lord Christ observes of the Pharises they pray to be seen of men and fast so that they may appear to men to fast Matth. 6.5 16. Pro. 7.11 Sixthly There is a fortasick zeal that runs out upon others like the candle in the Lanthorn that sends all the heat out at top or as the lewd Woman Salomon mentions whose feet abide not in her own house Many are hot and high against the sins of others and yet cannot see the same in themselves like the Lamiae that put on their spectacles when they went abroad but pulled them off within doors It is easie to see fault in others and as hard to see then in our selves Jehu was zealous against Baal and his Priests because that was Ahabs sin but not against the Calves of Bethel because that was his own sin Teeum babita This zeal is the true Character of an Hypocrite his own Garden is over-run with Weeds while he is busie in looking over his Neighbours Pale Seaventhly There is a sinful zeal all the former may be called sinful from some defect but this I call sinful in a more special notion because against the life and cheif of Religion it is a zeal against zeal that flies not at profaness but at the very power of godliness not at error but at truth and is most hot against the most spiritual and important truths of the times Whence else are the sufferings of men for the truth but from this spirit of zeal against the truth Iam. 1.19 Rev. 12.12 This may be called a devillish zeal for as there is the faith of Devils so there is the zeal of Devils therefore his rage is great because he knows his time is short 1 Sam. 15.3 Eighthly There is a Scriptureless zeal that is not butted and bounded by the Word but by some base and low end such was Sauls zeal when God bids him destroy Amalek and spare neither man nor beast then contrary to Gods command he spare the best of the Sheep and Oxen under pretence of zeal for Gods Sacrifice 2 Sam. 21.2 Another time when he had no such command then he slaies the Gibeonites in his zeal to the Children of Israel and Judah Many a mans zeal is greatest then and there when and where he hath the least warrant from God It is worth the while to observe how zealous men are for Ceremonies and pompousness in the worship of God when as there is not one word in all the Scripture for them I will tell you and the Scripture adjusts me in it that it is one of the surest signs of an Antichrristian spirit to be zealous for unwritten and ungrounded traditions in the Worship of God The true spirit of zeal is bounded by Scripture for it is for God and the concernments of his glory God hath no glory from that zeal that hath no Scripture warrant Now then if the zeal of a man in the things of God may be onely a blind zeal or a partial zeal or a misplaced zeal or a selfish zeal or an out-side zeal or a forensick zeal or a sinful zeal or a Scriptureless zeal then it is evident that a man may be very zealous in the matters of Religion and yet be but almost a Christian 12. A-man may be much in Prayer he may pray often and pray much and yet be but almost a Christian so did the Pharises whom yet our Lord Christ rejects for Hypocrites Mat. 23.14 Object But is not a praying frame an argument of a sincere heart are not the Saints of God called The generation of them that seek the face of God Psal 24.6 Sol. A man is not therefore a Christian because he is much in prayer I grant That those prayers that are from the workings and sighings of Gods Spirit in us From a sincere heart lifted to God From sense of our own emptiness and Gods infinite fulness That are suited to Gods will the great rule of prayer That are for spiritual things more then temporal That are accompanied with faith and dependance Such prayers speak a man altogether a Christian But
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
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
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
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
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
he is annointed and sent to bind up the broken hearted to comfort all that mourn Isa 61 1 2 Oh therefore if you would be sound Christians get sound convictions ask those that are beleivers indeed and they will tell you had it not been for their convictions they had never sought after Christ foâ— fanctification and salvation they will tell you they had perished if they had not perished periissem nisi periissem they had been in eternal bondage but for their spiritual bondage had they not been lost as to themselves they had been utterly lost as to Christ 3. Never rest in convictions Direction 3 till they end in conversion this is that wherein most men miscarry they rest in their convictions and take them for conversion as if sin seen were therefore forgiven or as if a sight of the want of grace were the truth of the work of grace That is a notable place in Hos 13.13 Ephraim is an unwise Son for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of Children The place of the breaking forth of Children is the Womb as the child comes out of the womb so is conversion born out of the womb of conviction Now when the child sticks between the Womb and the World it is dangerous it hazard's the life both of Mother and Child so when a sinner rests in conviction and goes no farther but sticks in the place of the breaking forth of Children this is very dangerous and hazards the life of the soul You that are at any time under convictions Oh take heed of resting in them do not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children though it is true that conviction is the first step to conversion yet it is not conversion a man may carry his convictions along with him into hell What is that which troubleth poor creatures when they come to dye but this I have not improved my convictions at such a time I was convinced of sin but yet I went on in sin in the face of my convictions in such a Sermon I was convined of such a duty but I slighted the conviction I was convinced of my want of Christ and of the readiness of Christ to pardon and save but alass I followed not the conviction My brethren remember this slighted convictions are the worst death-bed companions There are two things especially which above all others make a death-bed very uncomfortable 1. Purposes and promises not performed 2. Convictions slighted and not improved When a man takes up purposes to close with Christ and yet puts them not into execution and when he is convinced of sin and dutie and yet improves not his convictions Oh this will sting and wound at last Now therefore hath the Spirit of the Lord been at work in your souls have you ever been convinced of the evil of sin of the misery of a natural estate of the insufficiency of all things under Heaven to help of the fulness and righteousness of Jesus Christ of the necessity of and resting upon him for pardon and peace for sanctification and salvation have you ever been really convinced of these things Oh then as you love your own souls as ever you hope to be saved at last and injoy God for ever improve these convictions and be sure you rest not in them till they rise up to a through close with the Lord Jesus Christ and so end in a sound and perfect conversion Thus shall you be not onely almost but altogether Christians FINIS THE TABLE A AFflictions and the pressures of outward evils will make a man pray p. 109 C Christian What meant by it p. 5 Many are almost and yet but almost Christians p. 9 Whence is it that many go so far as to be almost Christians p. 15 160 Whence it is that many are but almost Christians when they have gone thus far p. 180 Caution to take heed we be not almost and yet but almost Christians p. 227 This condition of all other Greatly unprofitable p. 228 Exceedingly uncomfortable p. 229 Desperately dangerous p. 232 Combate against sin may be In a man that is but an almost Christian p. 70 71 Church members not alway real Christians p. 80 Change Visible changes may be in a Christian not renewed p. 90 to 93. Christ A man may suffer for Christ and yet not be sincere with Christ p. 111 What suffering is a note of sincerity p. 112 Suffering as a Christian p. 113 114 Call A man may be called of God and yet be but almost a Christian call two fold p. 115 116. Conviction How to know whither our conviction is onely from a natural conscience or from the spirit p. 18 Natural conviction what p. 180 Spiritual conviction what p. 181 Spiritual conviction an essential part of sound conversion p. 187 Slight conviction the cause of much Hypocrisie p. 188 Conscience What is the difference between a natural and renewed conscience Answered in seven particulars p. 160 to 175 D DEsires see grace Delight A man may delight in the Word and Ordinances and yet be but almost a Christian p. 79 Duties A man may do all as to external Duties and Worship that a true Christian can and yet be but almost a Christian p. 146 Wherein the difference between them doth lye p. 147 to 150 Directions for the obtaining a through work in the heart the being not onely almost but altogether Christians p. 271 to the end E Examination our duty to inquire whether we are either but almost or altogether Christians p. 213 Arguments pressing upon us its practice p. 114 to 118 Eight Characteristical Notes for tryal p. 218 to 226 Exhortation to be not onely almost but altogether Christians p. 246 Motives to it p. 247 to 270 F FAith A man may have faith and yet not be a beleiver p. 121 Saving faith what called in Scripture p. 123 Common faith what p. 114 to 118 G GIfts A man may have great gifts and yet be but almost a Christian p. 31 Gifts for the good of others p. 32 Gifts from the Common work of the Spirit p. 32 Beyond the power of gifts to change the heart Gifts may decay and perish p. 37 Desires of grace are grace 73 74 what not p. 75 H HOpe Great hopes of Heaven not alway true hope p. 83 Properties of true hope Ibid Groundless hopes p. 84 85. K KNowledge A man may have much of it and yet be but almost a Christian p. 27 Threefold end men have in desiring knowledge L LOve A man may love the people of God and yet not with a true love p. 128 What Love to the Children of God is a true love p. 130 For what an almost Christian Loves a Saint p. 132 His Love onely carnal p. 133 Lust Espoused in the heart hinders a hearty closure with Christ p. 203 M MOtives pressing Christians to go farther then those that have gone farthest and yet fell short p. 247 N
when will and affections are for sin and plead for it conscience is againstit and many times frights the soul from the doing of it And hence men take that which opposes sin in them to be grace when it is onely the work of a Natural conscience they conclude the strife is between grace and sin the regenerate and unregenerate part when alas it is no other then the contention of a natural conscience against a corrupt will and affections And if so then a man may have great strifes and combates against sin in him and yet be but almost a Christian 5. A man may desire grace and yet be but almost a Christian so did the five foolish Virgins Mat. 25.8 Give us of your Oyl what was that but true grace it was that Oyl that lighted the wise Virgins into the Bridegrooms Chamber They do not onely desire to enter in but they desire Oyl to light them in wicked men may desire Heaven desire a Christ to save them there is none so wicked upon earth but desire to be happy in Heaven But now here are them that desire grace as well as glory and yet these are but almost Christians 〈…〉 But is it not commonly taught that desires of grace are grace Nay doth not our Lord Christ himself make it so Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled 〈…〉 It is true that there are some desires of grace which are grace As 1. When a man desires graâ—◠〈◊〉 a right sense of his natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sees the vileness of sin and the woful defiled and loathsome condition he is in by reason of sin and therefore desires the grace of Christ to renew and change him this is grace This some make to be the lowest degree of saving faith 2. When a man joyns proportionable endeavours to his desires doth not onely wish for grace but work for grace such desires are grace 3. When a mans desires are constant and uncessant that cease not but in the attainment of their Object such desires are true grace They are a part of the especial work of the Spirit They do really partake of the nature of grace now it is a known makim Quicquid participat de natura totius est pars totius That which partakes of the nature of the whole is a part of the whole the filings of gold are gold The Sea is not more really water then the least drop the flame is not more really fire then the least spark for these do participare de natura totius But though all true desires of grace are grace yet all desires of grace are not true For. 1. A man may desire grace but not for it self but for somewhat else not grace for grace's sake but for heavens sake He don't desire grace that his nature may be changed his heart renewed the Image of God stampt upon him and his lusts subdued in him These are blessed desires found onely in true beleivers The true Christian onely can desire grace for graces sake but the almost Christian may desire grace for Heavens sake 2. A man may desire grace without proportionable indeavours after grace many are good at wishing bad at working like him that lay in the grass on a Summers day crying out O si hoc esset laborare Oh that this were to work Salomon saith Virtutem exoptant contabescuntque relicta Pers the desires of the slothful kills him How so For his bands refuse to labour Prov. 21.25 He perisheth in his desires The beleiver joyns desires and indeavours together Impii non curant quercre quem tamen desiderant invenire eupientes coasequi sed non sequ Bern. one thing have I desired of the Lord and that I will seek after Psal 27.4 3. A mans desires of grace may be unseasonable thus the foolish Virgins desired Oyl when it was too late Eccles 8.5 The beleivers desires are seasonable he desires grace in the season of grace and seeks in a time when it may be found The wise mans heart knows both time and Judgement He knows his season and hath wisdom to improve it Sera sapiunt Poryges The silly sinner doth all his works out of season he sins away the seasons of grace and then desires grace when the season is over the sinner doth all too late as Esau desired the blessing when it was too late and therefore he lost it whereas had he come sooner he had obtained it Most men are like Epimetheus wise too late they come when the Market is done when God hath shut in shop then they have their Oyl to get When they lye upon their death beds then they desire holy hearts 4. Desires of grace in many are very inconstant Hos 6.4 Ionah 4.6.7 and fleeting like the morning dew that quickly passes away Or like Jonah's Gourd that springs up in a night and withers in a night they have no root in the heart and therefore quickly perish now then if a man may desire grace but not for graces sake if desires may be without indeavours if a man may desire grace when t is too late if these desires may be but fleeting and inconstant then may a man desire grace and yet be but almost a Christian 6. A man may tremble at the word of God and yet be but almost a Christian Dan. 5.6 as Belshazzer did at the hand-writing upon the wall Isa 66.2 But is not that a note of sincerity and truth of grace to tremble at the word doth not God say to him will I look that is of a poor and contrite spirit and trembles at my word Sol. There is a two fold trembling First One is when the word discovers the guilt of sin and the Wrath of God that belongs to that guilt this where conscience is awake causes trembling and amazement thus when Paul Preached of righteousness and judgment Act 24 25 it is said Felix trembled Secondly There is a trembling which arises from a holy dread and reverence of the Majesty of God speaking in his word this is onely found in true beleivers and is that which keeps the soul low in its own eyes Therefore mark how the words run in Isa 66.2 To him will I look that is of a poor and contrite spirit and trembles at my Word Iames 2.19 God don't make the promise to him that trembles at the word for the Devils beleive and tremble the word of God can make the proudest stoutest sinner in the World to shake and tremble but it is to the poor and contrite spirit that trembles where trembling is the fruit of a spirit broken for sin and low in its own eys there will God look Now many tremble at the Word but not from poverty of spirit not from a heart broken for sin and low in its own eys not from a sense of the Majesty and holiness of God and therefore notwithstanding they tremble at