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
ΕΠΟΛΙΓΩ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑÎΟΣ THE Almost Christian DISCOVERED OR The False-Professor Tried and Cast Being the substance of Seven SERMONS first preached at Sepulchres London 1661. and now at the inportunity of friends made publick By MATTHEW MEADE Luk 16.14 And the Pharisees who were covetous ' heard all these things and they derided him Vers 15. And Jesus said unto them ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts For that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God London Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the three Crowns in the lower end of Cheapside over-against the great Conduit 1662. To the Congregation at Sepulchres that were the Auditors of these Sermons Grace and Peace be multiplyed Beloved WHat the meaning of that providence was that called me to the occupation of my Talent amongst you this Summer will be best read and understood by the effects of it upon your own souls The kindly increase of grace and holiness in heart and life can onely prove it to have been in mercy where this is not the fruit of the word there it becomes a judgement The word travels with life or death salvation or damnation bringeth forth one or other in every soul that hears it I would not for a world were it in my power to nake the choice that my labours which were meant designed for the promotion of your immortal souls to the glory of the other World in a present persuance of the things of your peace should be found to have been a Ministration of Death and Condemnation in the great day of Iesus Christ Yet this the Lord knoweth is the too common effect of the most plain and powerful Ezek. 47.11 Preaching of the Gospel The waters of the Sanctuary do not always heal where they come for there are mirie and marish places that shall be given to salt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is elsewhere in Scripture rendered barrenness Ps 107.34 he turneth a faithful land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into barrenness so that the judgement denounced upon these miry and marish places is that the curse of barrenness shall rest upon them notwithstanding the waters of the Sanctuary over-flow them Jude 12. It is sad but certain that the Gospel inflicteth a death of its own as well as the Law or else how are those trees in Jude said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twice dead plucked up by the roots Yea that which in it self is the greatest mercy through the interposition Rom. 5.8 of mens lusts and the efficacy of this cursed sin of unbelief turneth to the greatest judgement as the richest and most generous Wine makes the sharpest Vinegar Our Lord Christ himself the choicest mercy that the bowels of a God could bless a perishing World withal Ioh. 3.16 whose coming himself bearing Witness was on no less errand then that of eternal life and blessedness to the lost and cursed sons of Adam Ioh. 10.10 Yet to how many was he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stone of stumbling Isa 8 14. and a rock of offence Yea a gin and a snare and that to both the houses of Israel the onely professing people of God at that day in the World And is he not a stone of stumbling in the Ministry of the Gospel to many professors to this very day upon which they fall and are broken When he saith Mat. 11.6 blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me he doth therein plainly suppose that both in his person and Doctrine the generality of men would be offended in him Not that this is the design of Christ and the Gospel but it comes so to pass through the corruptions of the hearts of men whereby they make light of Christ and stand out against that life and grace which the Lord Iesus by his blood so dearly purchased and is by the Preaching of the Gospel so freely tendered the wilful refusal whereof will as surely double our damnation as the acceptance thereof will secure our eternal Salvation Mat. 11.23 Oh consider it is a thing of the most serious concernment in the World how we carry our selves under the Gospel and with what dispositions and affections of heart and soul seasons of grace are entertained this being taken into the consideration to make it weight that we are the nearer to heaven or to hell to salvation or damnation by every ordinance we sit under boast not therefore of Priviledges injoyed with neglect of the important duties thereby required Remember Capernaums case and tremble as many go to Heaven by the very gates of Hell so more go to Hell by the gates of Heaven in that the number of them that profess Christ is greater then the number of them that truely close with Christ Beloved I know the Preaching of the Gospel hath proselyted many of you into a profession but I fear that but few of you are brought by it to a true close with the Lord Christ for Salvation I beseech you bear with my jealousie for it is the fruit of a tender love to your precious souls most men are good Christians in the verdict of their own opinion but you know the Law alloweth no man to be a witness in his own case because their affection usualally out-acteth conscience and self-love baulketh truth for its own interest The heart of man is the greatest impostor and cheat in the World God himself adjusts it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supplante tivum cor prae omui Jeremy 17.9 The heart is deceitful above all things Some of the deceits whereof you will find discovered in this treatise which sheweth you that every grace hath its counterfeit and that the highest profession may be where true conversion is not Ezek. 13.22 Mat. 12.20 The design hereof is not to break the bruised reed nor to quench the smoking flax not to discourage the weakest beleiver but to awaken formal professors I would not sad the heart of any whom God would not have made sad though I know it is hard to rip up the dangerous estate and condition of a professing Hypocrite but that the weak Christian will think himself concerned in the discovery And therefore as I Preached a Sermon on sincerity among you for the support and encouragement of such at the end of this so I did purpose to have Printed it with this but who can be Master of his own purposes that is as I am under such daily variety of providences your kindly acceptation of this will make me a debter for that The dedication hereof belongs to you on a double account for as it had not been Preached but that love to your souls caused it so it had much less been Printed but that your importunate desire procured it and therefore what entertainment soever it findeth in the World yet I hope I may expect you will welcome it especially
for the good of our own souls that they may be saved for whoever be bettered by our gifts yet we shall miscarry without grace 3. A man may have a high profession of Religion be much in externall duties of godliness and yet be but almost a Christian Mark what our Lord Christ tells them in Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that is not every one that makes a profession of Christ shall therefore be owned for a true Disciple of Christ Rom. 9 6 All are not Israel that are of Israel nor are all Christians that make a profession of Religion What a goodly profession had Judas he followed Christ left all for Christ he Preached the Gospel of Christ he cast out Devils in the name of Christ he eat and dranck at the Table of Christ and yet Judas was but a Hypocrite Most professors are like Lillies fair in shew but foul in sent or like Pepper hot in the mouth but cold in the stomack The finest lace may be upon the coursest cloth It is a great deceit to measure the substance of our Religion by the bulk of our profession and to judge of the strength of our graces by the length of our duties The Scriptures speak of some who having a forme of godliness yet deny the power thereof Deny the power 2 Tim. 3.5 that is they don't live in the practise of those graces which they pretend to in their duties he that pretends to godliness by a specious profession and yet doth not practice godliness by a Holy conversation he hath a forme but denies the power Loquitur hic ut piso vivit ut Gallonius Hugo compares such to the Ostrich qui alas habet sed non volat which hath great wings but yet flies not many have the wings of a fair profession but yet use them not to mount upward in spiritual affections and a Heavenly conversation But to clear the truth of this that a man may make a high profession of Religion and yet be but almost a Christian take a four fold evidence 1. If a man may profess Religion and yet never have his heart changed nor his state better'd then he may be a great professor and yet be but almost a Christian But a man may profess Religion and yet never have his heart changed nor his state renewed He may be a constant hearer of the word and yet be a sinner still he may come often to the Lords Table and yet go away a sinner as he came we must not think that duties ex opere operato can confer grace Many a soul hath been converted by Christ in an Ordinance but never was any soul converted by an Ordinance without Christ 1 Cor. 20 16. And doth Christ convert all that sit under the ordinances surely no for to some the word is a savour of death unto death And if so then it is plain that a man may profess Religion and yet be but almost a Christian 2. A man may profess Religion and live in a forme of godliness in Hypocrisie Isaiah 48. 1. Hear ye this O House of Jacob which are called by the name of Israel and are come forth out of the waters of Judah which sware by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousness what do ye think of these they make mention of the Name of the Lord there is their profession but not in truth nor in righteousness there is their dissimulation and indeed their could be no hypocrisie in a Religious sence were it not for a profession of Religion for he that is wicked and carnal and vile inwardly and appears to be so outwardly he is no Hypocrite but is what he appears and appears what he is Hypocrita cupit videri justus But he that is one thing really and another thing seemingly is carnal and unholy and yet seems to be good and holy he is an hypocrite Tollet instit Sacerd. l. 8. c. 9. Thus the Casuists define hypocrisie to be simulatio sanctitatis a counterfeiting of Holiness and this fits exactly with the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to counterfeit And to this purpose the Hebrews have too words for Hypocrites panim which signisies facies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Chanephim which signifies counterfeits from chanaph to dissemble so that he is an hypocrite that dissembles Religion and weareth the face of holiness and yet is without the grace of holiness he appears to be in semblance what he is not in substance he wears a forme of godliness without onely as a cover of a prophane heart within He hath a profession that he may not be thought wicked but it is but a profession and therefore he is wicked He is the religious Hypocrite religious because he pretends to it and yet a Hypocrite because he doth but pretend to it he is like many men in a Consumption that have fresh looks and yet rotten Lungs or like an apple that hath a skin fair but a rotten coar many appear righteous who are onely righteous in appearance And if so then a man may profess Religion and yet be but almost a Christian 3. Custome and fashion may create a man a professor as you have many that wear this or that garb not because it keeps them warmer or hath any excellency in it more then another but meerly for fashion Many must have powdered hair spotted faces feathers in their Caps c. for no other end but because they would be fools in fashion So many profess christianity not because the means of grace warms the heart or that they see any excellency in the ways of God above the world but meerly to follow the fashion I wish I might not say it hath been true of our days because Religion hath been uppermost therefore many have professed it it hath been the gaining trade and then most would be of that trade Religion in credit makes many professors but few proselites but when religion suffers then its confessors are no more then its converts for custome makes the former but conscience the latter He that is a Professor of Religion meerly for custome sake when it prospers will never be a Martyr for Christs sake when Religion suffers He that owns the truth to live upon that will disown it when it comes to live upon him They say that when a house is decaying and falling all the Rats and Mice will forsake it while the house is firme and they may shelter in the rooff they 'l stay but no longer lest in the decay the fall should be upon them and they that lived at top should lye at bottome My brethren may I not say we have many that are the vermine the Rats and Mice of Religion that would live under the roof of it
now a man be much in prayer and yet be a stranger to such prayer As 1. Nature may put a man upon prayer for it is a part of natural worship it may put a child of God upon prayer so it did Christ Matth. 26.39 42. He went and fell on his face and prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me This was a prayer of Christ which flowed from the sinless struglings of Nature seeking its own preservation 2. A man may pray in pretence for a covering to some sin so did those devout Pharisees Matth. 23.14 Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation So the Papists seem very devout to pray a rich mans soul out of Purgatory but it is to cheat the Heir of much of his estate under pretence of praying for his fathers soul 3. A man may pray and yet love sin as Austin before conversion prayed against his sin but was afraid God should hear him and take him at his word Now God hears not such prayers Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my prayer 4. A man may pray much for temporal things and little for spiritual things and such are the prayers of most men crying out most for temporal things more for who will shew us any good Psal 4 6. then for Lord lift upon us the light of thy countenance David copies out the prayer of such Psal 144.12 Psa 144.12 13 14 15. c. That our sons may be as plants that our daughters may be as corner-stones polished after the similitude of a palace That our garners may be full c. Happy is the people that is in such a case This is the carnal hearts prayer and this David calls vanity vers 11. They are strange children whose mouth speaketh vanity 5. Isa 29.13 A man may pray and yet be far from God in prayer This people draw nigh to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips but their heart is sar from me Matth. 15.8 a man may pray and yet have no heart in prayer and that God chiefly looks at Pro. 23.26 My son give me thy heart The Jews have this sentence written upon the walls of their Synagogues Prayer without the intention of the mind is but a body without a soul It is not enough to be conscionable to use prayer but we must be conscionable to the use of prayer Many are so conscientious that they dare not but pray and yet so irreligious that they have no heart in prayer a common work of God may make a man conscionable to do duties but nothing less then saving grace in the heart will make a man conscionable in the doing of them 6. A mans prayer may be a lye as a profession without sanctity is a lie to the world so prayer without sincerity is a lye to God It is said of Israel that they sought God Psal 78.34 and enquired early after him they were much in prayer and yet God calls all but a lie Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth Some derive the latin colu to worship from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to flatter the English word Batter from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worship and they lied to him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him v. 36 27. Hearken to my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips saith David Psal 17.1 7. Afflictions and the pressures of outward evils will make a man pray Nuper me amici cujusdam languer admounit optimos esse nos dum infirmi sumus Plin. Ep. 26.17 and pray much Psal 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him and returned and inquired early after God The Heathen Mariners call every man upon his God when in a storm when they fear drowning then they fall to praying Jon. 1.5 Mariners are for the most part none of the devoutest not much addicted to prayer they will swear twice where they pray once and yet it is said they cry to the Lord in their trouble Psal 107.23 28. And hence you have a proverb Qui nescit or ared scat navigare He that cannot pray let him go to sea They poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them Isa 26.16 Now then if Nature may put a man upon prayer if a man may pray in pretence and design if a man may pray and yet love sin if a man may pray mostly for temporal things if a man may pray and yet be far from God in prayer if prayer may be a lie or if it may be only the cry of the soul under affliction sure then a man may be much in prayer and yet be but almost a Christian But suppose a man pray and prevail with God in prayer surely that is a witness from heaven of a mans sincerity in prayer Now I pray and prevail I ask and am answered Sol. A man may pray and be answered for God many times answers prayers in judgement as God is sometimes silent in mercy so he speaks in wrath and as he sometimes denies prayer in mercy so he sometimes answers in judgement When men are over importunate in some things their lusts are upon and will take no nay then God answers in judgement Psal 78.29 He gave them their own desire They had desired quails and God sends them but now mark the judgement v. 30.31 VVhile the meat was in their mouths the wrath of God came upon them and slew them I but suppose a mans affections are much stirred in prayers how then Is not that a true note of Christianity Now my affections are much stirred in prayers So was Esau's when he sought the blessing Sol. Heb. 12.17 He sought it carefully with tears A man may be affected with his own parts in a duty while good notions pass through his head and good words through his lips some good motions also may stir in his heart but they are but sparks which fly out at the tunnel of the chimney which suddenly vanish So that it is possible a man may pray and prevail in prayer pray and be affected in prayer and yet be but almost a Christian 13. A man may suffer for Christ in his goods in his name in his person and yet be but almost a Christian Every man that bears Christs Cross on his shoulders doth not therefore bear Christs Image in his soul Mat. 19 29. But doth nor our Lord Christ make great promises to them that suffer or lose any thing for him doth not he say Mat. 19.29 every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life Sure they are true Christians whom Christ makes this
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
Christian It is a less evil to do sin and not love it then to love sin and not do it for to do sin may argue onely weakness of Grace but to love sin argues strength of lust What I hate that do I Rom. 7.15 Sin is bad in any part of man but sin in the affection is worse then sin in the conversation for sin in the conversation may be onely from infirmity but sin in the affection is the fruit of choyce and unregeneracy 6. All sin may be chained and yet the heart not changed and so the nature of the sinner is the same as ever A dog chained up is a dog still as much as if he was let loose to devour There may be a cessation of arms between enemies and yet the quarrel may remain on foot still there may be a making Truce where there is no making Peace A Sinner may lay the weapons of sin out of his hand and yet the enmity against God still remain in his heart There may be a truce he may not sin against him but there can be no peace till he be united unto him Restraining Grace holds in the Sinner but it is Renewing Grace that changes the Nature Now many are held in by Grace from being open Sinners that are not renewed by Grace and made true Beleevers Now then if a man may forsake open sins and retain secret sins if he may forsake sin but not as sin if he may let one sin go to hold another the faster if a man may let all sin go and yet be a sinner still if sin may be left and yet be loved Finally if all sin may be chained and yet the heart not changed then a man may forsake sin and yet be but almost a Christian Fifthly A man may hate sin and yet be but almost a Christian Absalom hated Amnons uncleanness 2 Sam. 13 22 28. with his Sister Thamar yea his hatred was so great as that he slew him for it and yet Absalom was but a wicked man Object But the Scripture makes it a sign of a gracious heart to hate sin yea though a man do through infirmity fall into sin yet if he hates it this is a proof of grace Paul proves the sincerity of his heart and the truth of his grace by this hatred of sin though he committed it Rom. 7.15 what I hate that do I. Nay what is grace but conformitas cum archetypo a conformity of the soul to God to love as God loves to hate as God hates now God hates sin it is one part of his holiness to hate all sin Sol. And if I hate sin then am I conformed to God and if I am conformed to God then am I altogether a Christian It is true that there is a hatred of sin which is a sign of grace and which flows from a principle of grace and is grace as for instance To hate sin as it is an offence to God a wrong to his Majesty to hate sin as it is a breach of the command and so a wicked controuling Gods will which is the onely rule of goodness to hate sin as being a dis-ingenuous transgression of that law of love established in the blood and death of Christ and so in a degree a crucifying of Christ afresh To hate sin as being a greiving and quenching the Spirit of God as all sin in its nature is Thus to hate sin is grace and thus every true Christian hates sin But though every man that hath grace hates sin yet every man that hates sin hath not grace For A man may hate sin from other principles not as it is a wrong to God or a wounding Christ or a greiving the Spirit for then he would hate all sin for there is no sin but hath this in the nature of it But 1. A man may hate sin for the shame that attends it more then for the evil that is in it Some sinners there are who declare their sin as Sodom and hide it not Isa 3.9 they are set down in the seat of the scornful they glory in their shame Psal 1.1 Phil. 3.19 But now others there are who are ashamed of sin and therefore hate it not for the sins sake but the shames sake This made Absalom hate Amnons uncleanness because it brought shame upon him and his Sister 2. A man may hate sin more in others then in himself so doth the Drunkard he hates drunkenness in another and yet practises it himself The Lyar hates false-hood in another but likes it in himself Now he that hates sin from a principle of grace hates sin most in himself he hates sin in others but he loaths most the sins of his own heart 3. A man may hate one sin as being contrary to another There is a great contrariety between sin and sin between lust and lust It is rhe excellency of the life of grace that it is a uniforme life there is no one grace contrary to another the graces of Gods Spirit are different but not differing faith and love and holiness are all one they consist together at the same time in the same subject nay they can't be parted there can be no faith without love no love without holiness and so on the other hand no holiness without love no love without faith Tit. 3.3 So that this makes the life of grace an easie and excellent life but now the life of sin is a distracting contradictious life wherein a man is a servant to contrary lusts the lust of pride and prodigality is contrary to the lust of covetousness c. Now when one lust gets to be the Master lust in the soul then that works a hatred of its contrary where covetousness gets the heart there the heart hates pride and where pride gets uppermost in the heart there the heart hates covetousness Thus a man may hate sin not from a principle of grace but from the contrariety of lust He don't hate any sin as it is sin but he hates it as being contrary to his beloved sin Now then if a man may hate sin for the shame that attends it if he may hate sin more in others then in himself and if he may hate one sin as being contrary to another then he may hate sin and yet be but almost a Christian Sixtly A man may make great vows and promises he may have strong purposes and resolutions against sin and yet be but almost a Christian Exod. 8.8 1 Sam 26 21. Thus did Saul he promises and resolves against his sin Return my Son David saith he for I will no more do thee harm What promises and resolves did Pharoah make against that sin of detaining Gods people Saith he I will let the people go that they may do Sacrifice to the Lord and again I will let ye go and ye shall stay no longer Exod. 9.28 And yet Saul and Pharaoh both perished in their sins the greatest purposes and promises
against sin will not make a man a Christian For 1. Purposes and promises against sin never hurt sin we say threatned folk live long and truely so do threatned sins It is not new purposes but a new nature that must help us against sin purposes may bring to the birth but without a new nature there is no strength to bring forth The new nature is the best soyl for holy purposes to grow in otherwise they wither and dye like plants in an improper soyl 2. Trouble and afflictions may provoke us to large purposes and promises against sin for the future what more common then to vow and not to pay to make vows in the day of trouble which we make no conscience to pay in the day of peace Many Covenant against sin when trouble is upon them and then sin against their Covenant when it is removed from them It was a brave rule that Pliny in one of his Epistles gave his friend to live by Vt tales esse perseveremus sani quales nos futuros esse profitemur infirmi That we should continue to be such when we are well as we promise to be when we are sick Many are our sick-bed promises but we are no sooner well but we grow sick of our promises 3. Purposes and resolves against sin for the future may be onely a temptation to put off repentance for the present Satan may put a man on to good purposes to keep him from present attempts He knows whatever we purpose yet the strength of performance is not in our selves He knows that purposes for the future are a putting God off for the present they are a secret will-not to a present opportunity That is a notable passage Luk. 9.59 follow me saith Christ to the two men Now see what answers they give to Christ Suffer me first to go bury my Father says one this man purposes to follow Christ onely he would stay to bury his father Says the other Lord I will follow thee but let me first go and bid them farwel which are at my house vers 61. I will follow thee but onely I would first go and take my leave of my friends or set my house in order And yet we do not finde that ever they followed Christ notwithstanding their fair purposes 4. Nature unsanctified may be so far wrought on as to make great promises and and purposes against sin 1. A natural man may have great convictions of sin from the workings of an enlightned conscience 2. He may approve of the Law of God 3. He may have a desire to be saved Now these three together The workings of conscience The sight of the goodness of the law A desire to be saved may bring forth in a man great purposes against sin and yet he may have no heart to perform his own purposes This was much-what the case of them Deut. 5. say they to Moses vers 27. Go thou near and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and tell thou it to us and we will hear it and do it This is a fair prmise and so God takes it vers 28. I have heard the words of this people they have well said all that they have spoken So said and so done had been well but it was better said then done for though they had a tongue to promise yet they had no heart to performe and this God saw therefore said he v. 29. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep my commandements always that it might be well with them They promise to fear God and keep his Commandents but they wanted a new heart to performe what an unsanctified heart had promised Mat. 21.30 It fares with men in this case as it did with that son in the Gospel That said he would go into the Vine-yard but went not Now then if purposes and promises against sin never hurt sin if present afflictions may draw out large promises if they may be the fruit of a temptation or if from nature unsanctified surely then a man may promise and purpose much against sin and yet be but almost a Christian Seventhly A man may maintain a strife and combate against sin in himself and yet be but almost a Christian So did Balaam when he went to curse the people of God he had a great strife within himself How shall I curse saith he where God hath not cursed Or how shall I desie Numb 23.8 whom the Lord hath not defied Mat. 27.24 Mark 15.12 14. And did not Pilate strive against his sin when he said to the Jews shall I crucifie your King what evil hath he done I am innocent of the blood of this just man Gal. â— 17 But you will say is not this an argument of grace when their is a striving in the soul against sin for what should oppose sin in the heart but grace The Apostle makes the lusting of the flesh against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh to be an argument of grace in the heart Now I find this strife in my heart though the remainders of corruption sometimes break out into actual sins yet I find a striving in my soul against sin Sol. It is true there is a striving against sin which is onely from grace and is proper to beleivers and there is a striving against sin which is not from grace and therefore may be in them that are not beleivers There is a strife against sin in one and the same faculty the will against the will the affection against the affection and this is that which the Apostle calls the lusting of the flesh against the spirit that is the striving of the unregenerate part against the regenerate and this is ever in the same faculty and is proper to beleivers onely An unbeleiver never finds this strife in himself this strife cannot be in him it is impossible as such that is while he is on this side a state of grace Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor But then there is a striving against sin in divers faculties and this is the strife that is in them that are not beleivers there the strife is between the will and the conscience conscience enlightned and terrified with the fear of Hell and damnation that is against sin the will and affection not being renewed they are for sin And this causes great tuggings and strong combates many times in the sinners heart Thus it was with the Scribes and Pharisees conscience convinced them of the Divinity of Christ and of the truth of his being the Son of God and yet a perverse will and carnal affections cry out crucifie him crucifie him Conscience pleaded for him he had a Witness in their bosomes and yet there wills were bent against him and therefore they are said to have resisted the spirit viz. the workings and convictions of the spirit in their consciences Acts 7.51 And this is the case of many sinners
the word yet are they but almost Christians 7. A man may delight in the Word Isa 58.2 and Ordinances of God and yet be but almost a Christian Isa 58.2 They take delight in approaching to God And it is said of that ground Mat. 13.20 that it received the word with joy and yet it was but stony ground Psal 1.2 But is it not made a character of a godly man to delight in the Word of God doth not David say he is a blessed man that delights in the Law of the Lord Sol. There is a delighting in the word which flows from grace and is a proof of blessedness 1. He that delights in the Word because of its spirituality he is a Christian indeed the more spiritual the Ordinances are the more doth a gratious heart delight in them 2. When the word comes close to the conscience rips up the heart and discovers sin and yet the soul delights in it notwithstanding this is a sign of grace 3. When delight arises from that communion that is to be had with God there this is from a principle of grace in the soul But there may be a delight in the word where there is no grace 1. There are many delight in the word because of the eloquence of the Preacher they delight not so much in the truths delivered as in the dress that they are delivered in Ezek 33.323 Thus it is said of the Prophet Ezekiel that he was to them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice 2. There are very many delight to hear the word that yet take no delight to do it Ezek. 33.2 so saith God of them in Ezek. 33.2 they delight to hear my words but they do them not Now then if a man may delight in the word more because of the eloquence of the Preacher then because of the spiritualness of the matter if he may delight to hear the Word and yet not delight to do it then he may delight in the Word and yet be but almost a Christian 8. A man may be a member of the Church of Christ he may joyn himself to the people of God partake with them in all Ordinances and share of all Church Priviledges and yet be but almost a Christian So the five foolish Virgins joyned themselves to the wise and walked together Many may be members of the Church of Christ and yet not members of Christ the head of the Church There was a mixed multitude came up with the Church of Israel out of Egypt they joyned themselves to the Israelites owned their God left their own Country and yet in heart Egyptians notwithstanding All are not Israel that are of Israel Rom. 9.6 The Church in all Ages hath had unsound members Cain had communion with Abel Ishmael dwelt in the same house with Isaack Judas was in fellowship with the Apostles and so was Demas with the rest of the Disciples There will be some Bran in the finest Meal the Draw-Net of the Gospel catches bad fish as well as good the Tares and the Wheat grow together and it will be so till the Harvest Mat. 3.12 Heb. 12.23 God hath a Church where there are no members but such as are true members of Christ but it is in Heaven it is the Church of the first born there are no Hypocrites no rotten unsound professors none but the spirits of just men made perfect all is pure Wheat that God layeth up in that Garner there the Chaff is separated to unquenchable fire But in the Church on Earth the Wheat and the Chaff lie in the same heap together the Samaritans will be ne'r of Kin to the Jews when they are in prosperity so while the Church of God flourisheth in the World many will joyn to it they will seem Jews though they are Samaritans and seem Saints though yet they are no better then almost Christians 9. A man may have great hopes of Heaven great hopes of being Saved and yet be but almost a Christian Heb. 6.19 Indeed there is a hope of Heaven which is the Anchor of the soul sure and stedfast it never miscarries and it is known by four properties First It is a hope which purifies the heart purges out sin 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope purifies himself even as God is pure That soul that truely hopes to enjoy God truely indeavours to be like God Rom. 5.2 Secondly It is a hope which fils the heart with gladness we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Psa 130.5 Thirdly It is a hope that is founded upon the promise as there can be no true faith without a promise so nor any true hope faith applies the promise and hope expects the fulfilling the promise faith relies upon the truth of it and hope waits for the good of it faith gives interest hope expects livery and seisin Rom. 15.13 Fourthly It is a hope that is wrought by God himself in the soul who is therefore called the God of hope as being the Author as well as the Object of hope Col. 1.27 Now he that hath this hope shall never miscarry this is a right hope the hope of the true beleiver Christ in you the hope of glory But then as there is a true and sound hope so there is a false and rotten hope and this is much more common as bastard pearls are more frequently worn then true pearls There is nothing more common then to see men big with groundless hopes of Heaven As 1. A man may have great hope that hath no grace you read of the hope of Hypocrites Job 8.13 14. The performance of duties is a proof of their hope the foolish Virgins would never have done what they did had they thought they should have been shut out after all Many professors would not be at such pains in duties as they are if they did not hope for Heaven Hope is the great motive to action despair cuts the sinews of all indeavours that is one reason why the damned in hell cease acting toward an alteration of their state because despair hath taken hold of them if there were any hope in Hell they would up and be doing there So that there may be great hope where there is no grace experience proves this formal professors are men of no grace but yet men of great hopes nay many times you shall find that none fear more about their eternal condition then they that have most cause of hope and none hope more then they that have most cause of fear As interest in God may sometimes be without hope so hope in God may be without interest 2. A man may hope in the mercy and goodness and power of God without eying the promise and this is the hope of most God is full of mercy and goodness and therefore willing to save and he is infinite in power and therefore able to save why therefore should I not rest on
him Now it is presumption and therefore sin to hope in the mercy of God otherwise then by eying the promise for the promise is the Channel of mercy the Pipe through which it is conveyed all the blessedness the Saints injoy in Heaven is no other then what is the fruit of the promise relyed on and hoped for here on Earth A man hath no warrant to hope in God but by vertue of the promise 3. A man may hope for Heaven and yet not cleanse his heart not depart from his secret sins that hope of Salvation that is not accompanied with heart-purification that is a vain hope 4. A man may hope for Heaven and yet be doing the work of Hell he may hope for salvation and yet be working out his own damnation and so perish in his confidences This is the case of many male agendo sperant sperando pereunt like the Water-man that looks one way and rows another many have their eyes on Heaven whose hearts are in the Earth they hope in God but chuse him not for a portion they hope in God but do not love him as the best good and the refore are like to have no portion in him nor good by him but are like to perish without him notwithstanding all their hopes Job 27.8 What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God takes away his soul Now then if a man may have great hope of Heaven that hath no grace if he may hope in mercy without eying the promise if he may hope without heart purifying if he may hope for Heaven and yet do the work of Hell surely then a man may have great hopes of Heaven and yet be but almost a Christian 10. A man may be under great and visible changes and these wrought by the Ministry of the Word and yet be but almost a Christian Herod was it is said when he heard John Baptist Mar. 6.20 he did many things and heard him gladly Saul was under a great change when he met the Lords Prophets 1 Sam. 10.10 he turned Prophet too Nay it is said v. 9. of that 1. Sam. 10. that God gave him another heart Now was not this a work of grace and was not Saul here truely converted one would think he was but yet indeed he was not For though it is said God gave him another heart yet it is not said that God gave him a new heart There is a great difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lebh acher another heart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lebh chadash a new heart God gave him another heart to fit him for a Ruler but gave him not a new heart to make him a beleiver another heart may make another man but it is a new heart that makes a new man Again Simon Magus is a great proof of this truth he was under a great and visible change of a sorcerer he was turned to be a beleiver he left his Witch-crafts and Sorceries and imbraced the Gospel was not this a great change Act. 8.13 If the Drunkard doth but leave his Drunkenness the Sewarer his Oaths the Prophane person his Prophaness they think this is a gracious change and their State is now good alass Simon Magus did not onely leave his sins but had a kind of a conversion for he beleived and was Baptized But is not that man that is changed a true Christian Sol. Not every change makes a man a Christian indeed there is a change that whoever is under it he is a true Christian Act. 26.18 2 Cor. 5.17 When a mans heart is so changed as that it is renewed when old things are done away and all is become new when the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the new creature is wrought in the soul when a man is turned from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God when the mind is inlightened the will renewed the affections made Heavenly then a man is a Christian indeed But now you must know that every change is not this change For 1. There is a civil change a moral change as well as a spiritual and supernatural change Many men are changed in a moral sense and one may say they are become new men but they are in heart and nature the same men still They are not changed in a spiritual and supernatural sense and therefore it cannot be said of them they are become new creatures Restraining grace may cause a moral change but it is renewing grace that must cause a saving change Now many are under restraining grace and so changed morally that are not under the power of renewing grace and so changed savingly 2. There is an out ward change as well as an inward change the outward change is often without the inward though the inward change is never without the outward A mans heart cannot be sanctified but it will influence the life but a mans life may be reformed and yet never affect or influence the heart 3. A man may be converted from a course of prophaness to a form of godliness from a filthy conversation to a fair profession and yet the heart the same in one and the other A rotten post may be guilt without and yet unsound within Hypocrita in verbis sanctus in corde vanus intus Nero foris Calo. Audi nemo melius specta nemo pejus Mat. 23.25 It is common to have the outside of the Cup and Platter made clean and yet the inside foul and filthy Now then if a man may be changed morally and yet not spiritually outwardly and yet not inwardly from a course of prophaness to a lifeless forme of godliness then a man may be under great and visible changes and yet be no more then almost a Christian I do not speak this to discountenance any change short of that that is spiritual but to awaken you to seek after that change which is more then moral It is good to be outwardly reformed but it is better to be savingly renewed I know how natural it is for men to take up with any thing like a work of conversion though it be not conversion and resting in that they perish eternally 1 Thes 5.23 Beloved let me tell you there is no change no conversion can stead your souls in the day of judgement on this side that saving work which is wrought on the Soul by the Spirit of God renewing you throughout the sober man without this change shall as surely go to Hell as the beastly drunkard Morality and civility may commend us to men but not to God They are of no value in the procurement of an eternal Salvation Mat. 21. â—1 A man may go far in an outward change and yet not be one step nearer Heaven then he that never was under any change nay he may be in some sense farther off as Christ saith the Scribes and Pharisees were farther from Heaven with all their shew of godliness then Fublicans and
praesentiam Lumb 1. sent dist 17 but dwels in Saints onely per inhabitationis gratiam the Hypocrite may have the spirit for a season but not to abide in him for ever 2. A man may have the spirit and yet not be born of the spirit Joh. 3.4 5. every true Christian is born of the spirit a Hypocrite may have the gifts of the spirit but not the graces the spirit may be in him by way of illumination but not by way of sanctification by way of conviction but not by way of conversion though he may have much common grace for the good of others yet he may have no special grace for the good of himself though his profession be spiritual yet is his state and condition carnal 3. A man may have the spirit onely as a spirit of bondage thus many have the spirit working onely to bondage The spirit of bondage is an operation of the holy Ghost by the law convincing the conscience of sin and of the curse of the law and working in the soul such an apprehension of the wrath of God as makes the thoughts of God a terrour to him This spirit may be and often is without saving grace this operation of the spirit was in Cain and Judas Though none that receive the spirit of adoption but they first receive the spirit of bondage yet many receive the spirit of bondage that never receive the spirit of adoption 4. A man may have the spirit of God working in him and yet it may be resisted by him it is said of the Jews Isa 63.10 they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit and the same sin is charged upon their Children Acts 7.51 ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart ye have always resisted the holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye The Hypocrite retains not the spirit so long as to come up to Regeneration Adoption but quenches the motions of it and thereby miscarries eternally 5. A man may have the spirit and yet sin that unpardonable sin he may have the Holy Ghost and yet sin the sin against the Holy Ghost nay no man can sin this sin against it but he that hath some degree of it The true beleiver hath so much of the spirit such a work of it in him that he cannot sin that sin He that is born of God sins not to wit that sin unto death for that is meant 1 John 5.16 17 18. The carnal professed sinner he cannot sin that sin because he is carnal and sensual having not the spirit Jude 19. A man must have some measure of the spirit that sins this sin so hath the Hypocrite he is said to be partaker of the Holy Ghost Heb. 6.4 and he onely is capable of sinning the sin against the holy Ghost Now then if a man may have the spirit transiently onely not abidingly if a man may have the spirit and yet not be born of the spirit if he may have the spirit onely as a spirit of bondage if a man may have the spirit working in him and yet it may be resisted by him if a man may have the spirit and yet sin that unpardonable sin against it then surely a man may have the spirit of God and yet be but almost a Christian 16. A man may have faith and yet be but almost a Christian Lu 8.13 the stony ground that is those hearers set out by the stony ground for a while beleived It is said Joh. 2.23 that many beleived in the name of Christ Fides mi nime fide quippe ex miraculus nata yet Christ durst not commit himself to them Though they trusted in Christ yet Christ would not trust them and why because he knew all men v. 24. he knew they were rotten at root notwithstanding their faith a man may have all faith even to the removing mountains and yet be nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 But how can this be that a man may have faith and yet be but almost a Christian doth not our Lord Christ promise life eternal and salvation to all that beleive is not this the Gospel that is to be preached to every creature He that beleives shall be saved Mark 16.16 Jam. 2.19 Sol. Though it is true what our Lord Christ saith that he that beleives shall be saved yet it is as true that many beleive that shall never be saved for Simon Magus beleived yea James saith the Devils beleive and tremble now none will say these shall be saved 2 Thess 3.2 As it is true what the Apostle saith all men have not faith so it is as true that there are some men have faith who are no whit the better for their faith You must know therefore there is a two fold faith Special and Saving Common and not Saving 1. There is a saving faith Col. 2.12 This is called faith of the operation of God It is a work of Gods own spirit in the soul It is such a faith as rests and casts the soul wholy upon Christ for grace and glory pardon and peace sanctification and salvation It is an united act of the whole soul understanding will and affections all concurring to unite the soul to an alsufficient Redeemer Act. 15.9 It is such a faith as purifies the heart and makes it clean it influences and gives strength and life to all other graces Now whoever hath this faith is a Christian indeed this is the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1.1 But then 2. There is a common faith not saving a fading and temporary faith there is the faith of Simon Magus as well as the faith of Simon Peter Acts 8 13 v. 23. compar Simon Magus beleived and yet was in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity Now Simon Magus hath more followers then Simon Peter the faith of most men will at last be found to be no better then the faith of Simon Magus For Luk. 22 32. First The faith of most is but a temporary faith it dures for a while and then dies and perisheth true and saving faith such as is the faith of Gods elect cannot die it may fail in the Act but not in the habit the sap may not be in the branch but it is always in the root That faith that perisheth that faith a man may have and perish Secondly There is a faith that lies onely in generals not in particulars as there is a general and particular object of faith so there is a general and particular faith The general object of faith is the whole Scripture the particular object of faith is Christ in the promise Now many have a general faith to beleive all the Scripture and yet have no faith to make a particlar application of Jesus Christ in the promise Devils and Reprobates may beleive the truth of the Scripture and what is written of the dying and suffering of Christ for sinners but there are but few that can close up
themselves in the wounds of Christ and by his stripes fetch in healing to their souls Thirdly There is a faith that is seated in the understanding but not in the will this is a very common faith many assent to the truth They beleive all the attributes of God that he is just holy wise faithful good merciful c. But yet they rest not on him notwithstanding They beleive the Commands are true but yet do not obey them they beleive the promises are true but yet do not imbrace and apply them they beleive the threatnings are true but yet do not fly from them Thus their faith lies in assent but not consent they have faith to confess a judgment but none to take out execution by assent they lay a foundation but never build upon it by application They believe that Christ died to save them that beleive and yet they beleive not in Christ that they may be saved Ro. 10 10. 1 Cor. 15.17 Oh my brethren it is not a beleiving head but a beleiving heart that makes a Christian VVith the heart man beleives to righteousness without this our faith is vain we are yet in our sins Fourthly There is a faith without experience many beleeve the Word upon hearsay to be the word of God but they never felt the power and vertue of it upon their hearts and consciences Now what good is it to beleive the truth of the Word if a mans conscience never felt the power of the word what is it to beleeve the truth of the promise if we never tasted the sweetness of the promise We are in this case like a man that beleeves the description others make of strange Countreys but never travelled them to know the truth or as a Patient that beleives all the Physician says but yet trys none of his potions We beleeve the word because we cannot gainsay it but yet we have no experience of any saving good wrought by the Word and so are but almost Christians Fifthly There is a faith that is without brokenness of heart that doth not avail to melt or soften the heart and therefore is not true faith for the least true faith is ever joyned with a bending will and a broken heart Sixthly There is a faith that transforms not the heart Faith without fruit that doth not bring forth the New creature in the soul but leaves it in a state of sin and death This is a faith that makes a man a fond Professor but not a sound beleever he beleives the truth Ephes 4.21 but not as it is in Jesus for then it would change and transform him into the likeness of Jesus Isa 56.9 He beleeves that a man must be changed that would be saved but yet is not savingly changed by beleiving Thus while others beleive to salvation he beleeves to damnation for his web shall not become a garment neither shall he cover himself with his works Heb. 6.4 Now then if a mans faith may be but temporary or may lie onely in generals or may be seated in the understanding onely or may be without experience or may be without a broken heart or without a new heart surely then a man may have faith he may taste of this heavenly gift and yet be but almost a Christian 17. A man may go further yet He may possibly have a love to the people of God and yet be but almost a Christian every kind of love to those who are Saints is not a proof of our Saintship Pharoah loved Joseph and advanced him to the second place in the Kingdom and yet Pharaoh was but a wicked man Ahab loved Jehoshaphat and made a league with him and married his daughter Athaliah to Jehoram Jehoshaphats Son and yet Ahab was a wicked wretch But you will say this seems to contradict the testimony of the Scripture for that makes love to the Saints and people of God a sure proof of our regeneration and interest in life eternal 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren Nay the Spirit of God putteth this as a characteristical distinction between Saints and sinners in the tenth verse In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother By brethren we do not understand Brethren by place those who are of the same Country or Nation such are called Brethren Rom. 9.3 Act. 7 23 25. Nor do we understand Brethren by race those who are descended of the same parents such are called brethren Matth. 1.2 Philemon 16. But by Brethren we understand brethren by grace and supernatural regeneration such as are the children of God and these are the brethren whom to love is a sure sign that we are the children of God Sol. To this I answer That there is a love to the children of God which is a proof of our being the children of God As for instance when we love them as such for that very reason as being the Saints of God when we love them for the image of God which appeareth in them because of that grace and holiness which shineth forth in their conversations this is truly commendable to love the godly for godliness sake the Saints for Saintship sake this is a sure testimony of our Christianity The love of grace in another is a good proof of the life of grace in our selves There can be no better evidence of the Spirit of Christ in us then to love the image of Christ in others For this is a certain truth that a sinner cannot love a Saint as such An Israelite is an abomination to an Egyptian Iohn 15. 1fi Gen. 3.15 There is a contrariety and natural enmity between the two seeds between the children of the World and those whom the Father in his eternal love hath chosen out of the World Simile simili gaudet It is likeness which is the great ground of love now there is the highest dissimilitude and unlikeness between an unregenerate sinner and a child of God and therefore as a child of God cannot love a sinner as a sinner In whose eyes a vile person is contemned Psal 15.4 he may love him as a creature he may love his soul or he may love him under some relation that he stands in to him Thus God loves the damned spirits as they are his Creatures but as fallen Angels he hateth them with an infinite hatred So to love a sinner quatenus a sinner this a child of God cannot do so neither can a sinner love a child of God as a child of God That he may love a child of God that I grant but it is upon some other consideration he may love a person that is holy not the person for his holiness but for some other respect As 1. A man may love a child of God for his loving peaceable courteous deportment to
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
may attain to an outward sanctification and yet for want of the inward be no better then almost a Christian 20. And so I shall end this long pursuit of the almost Christian in his progress Heaven-ward with this one general conclusion A man may do all as to external duties and worship that a true Christian can and when he hath done all be but almost a Christian You must know all the Commands of God have an intra and an extra there is as may say the body and the soul of the command And accordingly there is an internal and an external worship of God Now the internal acts of worshipping of God are to love God to fear God to delight in God to trust in God c. The external acts of Worshipping God are by praying teaching hearing c. Now there is a vast difference between these internal and external acts of Worship and indeed such a difference there is that they distinguish the altogether from the almost Christian The sincere beleiver from the unsound professor and indeed in this very thing the main difference between them doth lie 1. Internal acts of Worship are good propter fieri the goodness doth adhere intrinsecally to the thing done a man cannot love God nor fear God but it will be imputed to him for a gracious act and a great part of his Holiness But now external acts of Worship are not denominated good so much from the matter done propter fieri as from the manner of doing them a man cannot sin in loving and delighting in God but he may sin in praying and hearing c. for want of a due manner 2. Internal acts of worship put a goodness into external it is our faith our love our fear of God that makes our duties good 3. They better the heart and greaten the degrees of a mans holiness external duties do not always do this a man may pray and yet his heart never the holier he may hear the word and yet his heart never the softer but now the more a man fears God the wiser he is Prov. 1.7 the more a man loves God the holier he is love is the perfection of holiness we shall never be perfect in holiness till we come to be perfect in love 4. There is such an excellency in this internal worship that he who mixes it with his external duties is a true Christian when he doth least but without this mixture he is but almost a Christian that doth most Internal acts of Worship joyned with outward sanctifie them and make them accepted of God though few external acts of Worship without inward make them abhorred of God though they be never so many So that though the almost Christian may do all those duties in Hypocrise which a true Christian doth in sincerity nay though in doing external duties he may out-do the true Christian as the comet makes a greater blaze then the true Stars if Eliah fast and mourn Baals Priests will cut their flesh Yet he cannot do those internal duties that the meanest true Christian can The almost Christian can pray but he cannot love God he can teach or hear c. but he cannot take delight in God Mark Job's query concerning the Hypocrite Iob 27.10 This is Christianorum pro pria virtus will he delight himself in the Almighty He will pray to the Almighty but will he delight himself in the Almighty will he take pleasure in God Ah no! he will not he cannot Delight in God arise from a suitableness between the faculty and the object now none more unsuitable then God and a carnal heart Delight arises from the having what we desire Haec prrpris est delectationis materia si cum habeas quae desideraveris defideratis perfruaris Pined in Loc. and from enjoying what we have how then can he delight in God that neither enjoyeth nor hath nor truely desireth God Delight in God is one of the highest exercises of grace and therefore how can he delight in God that hath no grace Why then should any Saint of God be discouraged when he hears how far the almost Christian may go in the way to Heaven when as he that is the weakest true beleiver that hath the least true grace goes farther then he for he beleives in and loves God Should the almost Christian do less as to matter of external duties yet if he had but the least true faith the least sincerity of love to Christ he would surely be saved and should the true Christian do ten times more duties then he doth yet had he not faith in Christ and love to Christ he would surely be rejected Oh therefore let not any weak beleiver be discouraged though Hypocrites may out-do them and go beyond them in duty for all their duties are done in Hypocrisie but your faith and love to God in duties is a proof of your sincerity I do not speak this to discourage any soul in the doing of duties or to beat down outward performances but to rectifie the soul in the doing of them 1 Cor. 12 31. As the Apostle saith covet earnestly the best gifts but yet I shew unto you a more excellent way so I say covet the best gifts cover to be much in duties much in prayer much in hearing c. But yet I shew you a more excellent way and that is the way of faith and love pray much but then beleive much too Hear much read much but then love God much too Delight in the Word and Ordinances of God much but then delight in the God of Ordinances more And when you are most in duties as to your use of them Oh then be sure to be above duties as to your resting and dependance upon them Would you be Christians indeed altogether Christians oh then be much in the use and exercise of ordinances but be much more in faith and dependance upon Christ and his Righteousness when your obedience is most to the command then let your faith be most upon the promise The professor rests in his duties and so is but almost a Christian but you must be sure to rest upon the Lord Christ this is the way to be altogether Christians for if ye beleive then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise And thus I have answered the first query to wit how far may a man go in the way to Heaven and yet be but almost a Christian 1. He may have much knowledge 2. He may have great gifts 3. He may have a high profession 4. He may do much against sin 5. He may desire grace 6. He may tremble at the Word 7. He may delight in the Word 8. He may be a Member of the Church of Christ 9. He may have great hopes of Heaven 10. He may be under great and visible changes 11. He may be very zealous in the matters of Religion 12. He may be much in prayer 13. He may suffer for Christ 14. He
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
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
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
of Christ It is bad being at peace till Christ speaks peace nothing can truely pacifie conscience less then that which pacifies God and that is the blood of the Lord Christ Now the almost Christian quiets conscience but not with the blood of Christ it is not a peace flowing from Christs propitiation but a peace rising from a formal profession not a peace of Christs giving but a peace of his own making He silences and bribes conscience with a forme of godliness and so makes it give way to an undoing foul destroying peace he rocks it asleep in the Cradle of duties and then it is a thousand to one it never awaketh more till death or judgment Ah my brethren it is better to have conscience never quiet then quieted any way but by the blood of Sprinkling a good conscience unquiet is the greatest affliction to Saints and an evil conscience quiet is the greatest judgment to sinners 5. It is dangerous to be almost a Christian in respect of the unpardonable sin the sin that the Scripture saith can never be forgiven neither in this World nor in the World to come Mat. 12.32 I mean the sin against the holy Ghost now such are onely capable of sinning that sin as are but almost Christians A true beleiver cannot the work of grace in his heart that seed of God abiding in him secures him against it 1 Joh. 3.9 compared with the 5. Chap. 16 17 18. Act. 7.51 The prophane open ignorant sinner cannot though he lives daily and hourly in sin yet he cannot commit this sin for it must be from an enlightned mind every sinner under the Gospel especially sins sadly against the Holy Ghost against the strivings and motions of the Spirit he resists the holy ghost but yet this is not the sin against the holy Ghost There must be three ingredients to make up that sin 1. It must be wilful Heb. 10.26 if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrisice for sin 2. It must be against light and convictions after we have received the knowledge of the truth 3. It must be destinatâ malitia Blasphemia in sâ—iritum sanctum ea est qua quis dest nata ma itia contra proprum anime sui sensum spiritus sancti grattam virtutem deique gloriam oprugnat Luc. Brugens in Mat. 12. in resolved malice Now you shall find all these ingredients into the sin of the Pharisees Mat. 12.22 Christ heals one that was possessed with a Devil a great work which all the people wondred at v. 23. But what say the Pharisees see v. 24. This fellow casteth out Devils by the Prince of Devils now that this was the sin against the holy ghost is clear for it was both wilful and malicious and against clear convictions they could not but see that he was the Son of God and that this work was a peculiar work of the Spirit of God in him and yet they say he wrought by the Devil Whereupon Christ charges them with this sin against the Holy Ghost v. 31.32 now these Pharisees were a sort of great professors compare this with Mark 3.28 29 30. whence I gather this conclusion That it is the professor of Religion that is the subject of this sin Not the open carnal sinner not the true beleiver but the formal professor Not the sinner for he hath neither light nor grace not the beleiver for he hath both light and grace therefore the formal professor for he hath light but no grace Here then is the great danger of being almost a Christian he is liable to this dreadful unpardonable sin 6. This being but almost a Christian subjects us to apostacy he that gets no good by walking in the ways of God will quickly leave them and walk no more in them this I gather from Hos 14.9 Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the ways of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but the transgressors shall fall therein The just shall walk in them he whose heart is renewed and made right with God he shall keep close to God in his ways But the transgressours shall faell therein the word in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peshangim from a word that signifies to prevaricate so that we may read the words thus The ways of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but he that prevaricates that is a Hypocrite in the Ways of God he shall fall therein An unsound heart will never hold out long in the ways of God Joh. 5.35 He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in that light Job 27.10 For a season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for an hour a short space and then they left him It is a notable question Job puts concerning the Hypocrite Will he delight himself in the Almighty will he always call upon God He may do much but these two things he cannot do He cannot make God his delight He cannot persevere in duties at all times and in all conditions Pro. 24.16 Deut. 33.27 He will be an Apostate at last the scab of Hypocrisie usually breaks out in the plague soar of Apostacy Conversion ground is standing ground it is terra firma but a graceless profession of Religion is slippery ground and falling ground Julian the Apostate was first Julian the professour I know it is possible a beleiver may fall but yet he rises again the everlasting arms are underneath but when the hypocrite falls who shall help him up Eccl. 4 10 Salomon saith Wo to him that is alone when he falls that is without interest in Christ why wo to him for he hath none to help him up if Jesus Christ do not recover him who can David fell and was restored for he had one to help him up but Judas fell and perished for he was alone 7. This being but almost a Christian provokes God to bring dreadful spiritual judgement upon a man Barrenness is a spiritual judgment now this provokes God to give us up to barrenness when Christ found the fig-tree that had leaves but no fruit he pronounces the curse of barrenness upon it Never fruit grow on thee more Mat. 21.19 and so Ezek. 47.11 The miry places thereof and the marish places thereof shall not be healed they shall be given to salt 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. A Spirit of delusion is a sad judgement why this is the almost Christians judgment that receives the truth but not in the love of it because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusion Lu. 19.42 To lose either light or sight either ordinances or eyes is a great spiritual judgment why this is the almost Christians judgment he that profits not under the means provokes
God to take away either light or sight either the ordinances from before his eyes Or else to blind his eyes under the Ordinances To have a hard heart is a dreadful judgement and there is no Hypocrite but he hath a hard heart My Brethren it is a dreadful thing for God to give a man up to spiritual judgments Now this being almost a Christian provokes God to give a man up to spiritual judgements surely therefore it is a very dangerous thing to be almost a Christian 8. Being almost and but almost Christians will exceedingly agravate our damnation the higher a man rises under the means the lower he falls if he miscarries he that falls but a little short of Heaven will fall deepest into Hell he that hath been nearest to conversion being not converted shall have the deepest damnation when he is judged Capernaums sentence shall exceed Sodoms for severity Mat. 11.23 24. because she exceeded Sodom in the injoyment of mercy she received more from God she knew more of God she professed more for God and yet was not right with God there fore she shall be punished more by God â—he higher the rise the greater the fall the higher the profession the lower the damnation he miscarrveth with a light in his hand he perisheth under many convictions and convictions never end but in a sound conversion as in all Saints or in a sad damnation as in all Hypocrites praying ground hearing ground professing ground and conviction ground is of all the worst ground to perish upon Now then to sum up all under this head If to be almost a Christian hinders the true work of conversion If it be easily mistaken for conversion If it be a degree of blasphemy If this be that which quiets conscience If this subjects a man to commit the unpardonable sin If it lays us lyable to apostacy If it provokes God to give us up to spiritual judgments And if it be that which exceedingly agravate's our damnation sure then it is a very dangerous thing to be almost and but almost a Christian A Vse of Exhort Oh labour to be altogether Christians to go farther then they who have gone farthest and yet fell short this is the great counsel of the holy Ghost So run that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9.24 Give diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Need you any motives to quicken you up to this important duty 1. This is that which is not onely commanded by God Consid 1 but that whereunto all the Commands of God tend a perfect conformity of heart and life to God is the sum and substance of all the Commands both of the Old and New Testament As the Harlot was for the dividing the child 1 Kings 3.16 26. so is Satan for dividing the heart he would have our love and affections shared between Christ and our lusts for he knows that Christ reckons we love him not at all unless we love him above all But God will have all or none My Son give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God Lu. 10.27 with all thy heart with all thy soul with all thy might Deut. 6.5 Look into the Scripture and see what that is upon which your onely stands and you shall find that God hath fixed it upon those great duties which alone tend to the perfection of your state as Christians God hath fixed your Onely upon beleiving Mar. 5.36 onely beleive God hath sixed your onely upon obedience Mat. 4.10 Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Philip. 1.27 Onely let your conversation be as becommeth the Gospel of Christ So that your onely is fixed by God upon those two great duties of beleiving and obeying both which tend to the perfection of your state as Christians Now shall God command and shall not we obey can there be a higher motive to duty then the authority of the great God whose will is the eternal rule of righteousness O le ts fear God and keep his commandements for this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the totum hominis the whole duty of man so we read it 2. Consid 2 The Lord Christ is a Saviour throughout a perfect and compleat mediator he hath not shed his blood by halves nor satisfied the justice of God and redeemed sinners by halves No but he went through with his undertakings he bore all our sins and shed all his blood he dyed to the utmost satisfied the Justice of God to the utmost redeemed sinners to the utmost and now that he is in Heaven he intercedeth to the utmost and is able to save to the utmost Heb. 7.25 It is observed that our Lord Christ when he was upon earth in the days of his flesh he wrought no Semiplenam curationem no half cures but whomsoever they brought to him for healing he healed them throughout Mat. 14.35 36. they brought unto him all that were diseased and besought him that they might onely touch the hem of his garment and as many as touched were made perfectly whole Oh what an excellent Physician is here none like him he cureth Infallibly Suddenly Perfectly He cureth infallibly none ever came to him for healing that went without it he never practised upon any that miscarryed under his hand Mar 1.31 2.12 Luk. 8.44 He cureth suddainly no sooner is his garment touched but his patient is healed The Leper Mat. 8.3 is no sooner touched but immediately cured the two blind men Mat. 20. are no sooner touched but their eyes are immediately opened v. 34. Mat. 14.36 He cureth perfectly as many as were touched were made perfectly whole Now all this was to shew what a perfect and compleat Saviour Jesus Christ would be to all sinners that would but come to him They should find healing in his blood vertue in his righteousness and pardon for all their sins whatever they were look as Christ healed all the Diseases of all that came to him when he was on Earth so he pardons all the sins and healeth all the wounds of all those souls that come to him now he is in Heaven He is a Saviour throughout and shall not we be Saints throughout shall he be altogether a Redeemer and shall not we be altogether beleivers O what a shame is this 3. There is enough in Religion to engage us to be altogether Christians Consid 3 and that whether we respect profit or comfort for Grace brings both First Religion is a gainful thing and this is argumentum cogens a compelling motive that becomes effectual upon all gain is the God whom the World Worships what will not men do what will they not suffer for gain what journies do many take by Land what voyages by Sea through hot and cold through fair and foul through storme and shine through day and night and all for gain Now there is no calling so gainful as this of Religion it
considering it was born under your roof and therefore hopes to find favour in your eyes and room in your hearts Accept it I beseech you as a publique acknowledgement of the ingagements which your great and I think I may say unparalleled respects have laid me under which I can no way compensate but by my prayers and if you will take them for satisfaction I do promise to be your remembrancer at the throne of grace whilst I am Matthew Meade TO THE READER Reader I Know how customary it is for men to ascend the publique stage with premised Apologies for the weakness and unworthiness of their labours which is an argument that their desires either for the sake of others profit or their own credit or both are stretched beyond the tedder of their abilities and that they covet to commend themselves to the Worlds censure in a better dress then common infirmity will allow for my own part I may truely say with Gideon Behold my thousand is the meanest my Talent is the smallest and I am the least in my Fathers House 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iud. 6.15 and therefore this appearance in publique is not the fruit of my own choice which would rather have been in some other subject wherein I stand in some sense indebted to the World or else in somewhat more digested and possibly better fitted for common acceptation but this is but to consult the interest of a mans own name which in matters of this concern is no better then a sowing to the flesh and the harvest of such a seeds time will be in corruption Gal. 6.8 Luk. 13.24 1 Cor. 9.24 Thou hast here one of the saddest considerations imaginable presented to thee and that is how far it is possible a man may go in a profession of Religion and yet after all fall short of salvation haw far he may run and yet not so run as to obtain this I say is sad but not so sad as true for our Lord Christ doth plainly attest it strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able My design herein is that the formal sleepy professor may be awakened and the close Hypocrite discovered but my fear is that weak beleivers may be hereby discouraged for as it is hard to shew how low a Child of God may fall in sin and yet have true grace but that the sinner will be apt thereupon to presume so it is as hard to shew how high a Hypocrite may rise in a profession and yet have no grace but that the beleiver will be apt thereupon to despond The prevention whereof I have carefully indeavoured by shewing that though a man may go thus far and yet be but almost a Christian yet a man may fall short of this and be a true Christian notwithstanding judge not therefore thy state by any one character thou findest laid down of a false professor but read the whole and then make a judgement for I have cared Mat. 15.26 as not to give childrens bread to Dogs so not to use the Dog-Whip to scare the children yet I could wish that this book might fall into the hands of such onely whom it chiefly concerns who have a name to live Rev. 3.1 and yet are dead being busie with the form of godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 but strangers to the power of it These are the proper subject of this Treatise And the Lord follow it with his blessing wherever it comes that it may be an awakening word to all such and especially to that generation of profligate professors with which this age abounds who if they keep to their Church bow the knee tale out a few prayers and at a good time receive the Sacrament think they do enough for Heaven and hereupon judge their condition safe and their Salvation sure though their be a hell of sin in their hearts Ro. 3.13 and the Poyson of Asps under their lips their minds being as yet carnal and unconverted and their conversations filthy and unsanctified if eternal life be of so easie attainment and to be had at so cheap a rate of devotion it is to me a wonder what our Lord Christ meant to tell us Mat. 7.14 straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth into life and few there be that find it And why the Apostle should perplex us with such a needless injunction To give diligence to make their callling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 certainly therefore it is no such easie thing to be saved as many make it and that thou wilt see plainly in the following discourse I have been somewhat short in the application of it and therefore let me here be thy remembrancer in five important duties Mat. 7.16 vers 27. 2 King 6.25 First Take heed of resting in a form of godliness as if duties ex opere operato could confer grace a lifeless formality is advanced to a very high esteem in the World as a Kab of Doves Dung was sold in the Famine of Samaria at a very dear rate Alas the profession of godliness is but a sandy foundation to build the hope of an immortal soul upon for eternity remember the Lord Jesus Christ called him a foolish builder that founded his house upon the sand and the sad event proved him so for it fell and great was the fall of it Oh therefore lay thy foundations by faith upon the Rock Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 3.11 look to Christ through all and rest upon Christ in all Secondly Labour to see an excellency in the power of godliness a beauty in the life of grace if the means of grace have a loveliness in them surely grace it self hath much more for finis dat amabilitatem mediis the goodness of the means lies in its sutableness and serviceableness to the end the form of godliness hath no goodness in it any farther then it steads and becomes useful to the soul in the power and practise of godliness The life of holiness is the onely excellent life it is the life of Saints and Angels in Heaven yea it is the life of God himself As it is a great proof of the baseness and filthiness of sin that sinners seek to cover it so it is a great proof of the excellency of godliness that so many pretend to it The very Hypocrites fair profession pleads the cause of Religion although the Hypocrite is then really worst when he is seemingly best Malus ubi bonum se siâ—ulat tunc est passimus Thirdly Look upon things to come as the greatest realities for non entis non apparentis idem est effectus things that are not beleived work no more upon the affections then if they had no being and this is the grand reason why the generality of men suffer their affections to lacquey after the World setting the creature in the place of
God in their hearts Col. 3.5 Most men judge of the reality of things by their visibility and proximity to sense and therefore the choice of that wretched Cardinal becomes their option who would not leave his part in Paris for his part in Paradise sure whatever his interest might be in the former he had little enough in the latter well may covetousness be called Idolatry when it thus chuses the World for its God Mar. 9 44 O consider eternity is no Dream Hell and the Worm that never dies is no melancholy conceit heaven is no feigned Elysium there is the greatest reality imaginable in these things though they are spiritual and out of the ken of sense yet they are real and within the view of faith look not therefore at the things which are seen but look at the things which are not seen for the things that are seen are temporal 2 Cor. 4.18 but the things which are not seen are eternal Isa 55.2 Heb. 12 16. Fourthly Set a high rate upon thy soul what we lightly prize we easily part with many men sell their souls at the rate of prophane Esau's birth right for a morsel of meat nay for that which in the sence of the Holy Ghost is not bread O consider thy soul is the most precious and invaluable jewel in the World it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most beautiful peice of Gods workmanship in the whole creation it is that which bears the Image of God and which was bought with the blood of the Son of God 1. Pet. 1.18 19. and shall we not set a value upon it and count it precious The Apostle Peter speaks of three very precious things A precious Christ 1 Pet. 2 7 2 Pet. 1.4 and 1.1 Precious promises And precious Faith 1 Cor. 6.13 Now the preciousnes of all these lies in their usefulness to the soul Christ is precious as being the Redeemer of precious souls the promises are precious as making over this precious Christ to precious souls Faith is precious as bringing a precious soul to close with a precious Christ as he is held forth in the precious promises Oh take heed that thou art not found overvaluing other things and undervaluing thy soul Shall thy flesh nay thy beast be loved and shall thy soul be slighted wilt thou cloath and pamper thy body and yet take no care of thy soul this is as if a man should feed his Dog and starve his Child Meats for the belly and the belly for Meats but God shall destroy both it and them Oh let not a tottering perishing carkass have all our time and care as if the life and Salvation of thy Soul were not worth the while Gal. 6.7 Lastly Meditate much of the strictness and suddainness of that judgement day which thou and I must pass through into an everlasting state wherein God the impartial judge will require an account at our hands of all our talents and betrustments we must then account for time how we have spent that for estate how we have imployed that for strength how we have laid laid out that for affections and mercies how they have been improved for the relations we stood in here how they have been discharged and for seasons and means of grace how they have been husbanded and look how we have sowed here so shall we reap hereafter Mat. 7.10 20. Reader these are things that of all other deserve most of and call loudest for our utmost care and indeavour though by the most least minded To consider what a spirit of Atheisme if we may judge the tree by the fruits and the principle by the practise the hearts of most men are filled with who live as if God were not to be served nor Christ to be sought nor lust to be mortified nor self to be denyed nor the Soripture to be beleived nor the judgement day to be minded nor hell to be feared nor heaven to be desired nor the soul to be valued but give up themselves to a worse then brutish sensuality Eph. 4.19 and 2 12. to work all uncleanness with greediness living without God in the World this is a meditation fit enough to break our hearts if at least we are of holy Davids temper Psal 119.158 who beheld the transgressours and was grieved and had rivers of waters running down his eyes vers 136. because men kept not Gods Laws The prevention and correction of this soul destroying distemper is not the least design of this Treatise now put into thy hand though the cheif vertue of this receit lies in its sover aign use to asswage and cure the swelling tympany of Hypocrisie yet it may serve also with Gods blessing as a plaister for the plague-sore of prophanness if timely applyed by serious meditation and carefully kept on by constant prayer Horat. Reader Expect nothing of curiosity or quaintness for then I shall deceive thee but if thou wouldst have a touchstone for the tryal of thy state possibly this may stead thee if thou art either a stranger to a profession or a Hypocrite under a profession then read and tremble for thou art the man here pointed at Mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur Mark 9.1 Luk. 17.21 But if the Kingdom of God be come with power into thy soul if Christ be formed in thee if thy heart be upright and sincere with God then read and rejoyce Isa 48.17 I fear I have transgressed the bounds of an Epistle The mighty God whose prerogative it is to teach to profit whether by the Tongue or the Pen by speaking or writing bless this tract that it may be to thee as a cloud of rain to the dry ground dropping fatness to thy soul that so thy fleece being watered with the dew of Heaven 2 Pet. 3.18 thou mayst grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ In whom I am Thy friend and Servant London Octob. 29. 1661. Mat. Meade The Contents THe scope of the Chapter pag. 1 The coherence of the Text pag. 3 4 The sense and meaning of the words pag. 4 5 6 7 The Doctrine propounded viz. That there are very many in the world that are almost and yet but almost Christians pag. 9 Two things arise from hence of serious meditation pag. 10 Three things are premised before the Doctrine is handled First There is nothing in this Doctrine should be matter of stumbling or discouragement to weak Christians pag. 11 There is great use of such Doctrine as this is 1. To make them look to their standing pag. 12 2. It helps to raise their admiration of distinguishing love ibid. 3. It incites to that excellent duty of heart-searching 4. It ingages the soul to double diligence ib. Secondly It is premised though many go far in the way to heaven and yet fall short yet that soul that hath the least true grace shall never fall
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