The Almost Christian, Sermon 1
SERMON I.
Acts 26.28.
Then Agrippa ſaid unto Paul ALMOST thou perſuadeſt me to be a CHRISTIAN.
IN this Chapter we have St. Paul in his Fetters pleading before that Honourable Seſſions of Feſtus and Agrippa; his Plea we have largely ſet down from the 1ſt. to the 24th. Verſe, in which he opens his Commiſſion, that he had received in an extraordinary manner from Heaven, for preaching of that Doctrine which was every where ſpoken againſt, and for worſhipping God in that way which was called Hereſie. I ſhall not at all enter into the conſideration of the Apology; but let us look only at the different Effects that it wrought upon the Hearers: Feſtus and Agrippa they we… both of them Unbelievers, the one an … believing Heathen, the other an unbeli… ving Jew, and thus they both continue yet St. Paul's Speech works very different… upon them. In the 24th. Verſe you hav… Feſtus raving; he ſaid with a loud voic… Paul, thou art beſides… thy ſelf, much learni… hath made thee mad. Thy Thoughts of Viſion and an Apparition, of a Man dea… and buried, lying ſafe under ground that he ſhould riſe again and appear fro… Heaven to thee, being the Saviour of t… World, is a meer Fancy, proceeding fro… a ſtrong Phrenzy: Thus he ſcoffs an… raves. But this very Sermon which ſee… ed Madneſs and an idle Tale to unbeliving Feſtus, carries a ſtrong Convicti… in it to Agrippa, who was an Unbeliev… too; Almost thou perſuadeſt me to be Christian.
Hence obſerve That the Word of God h… a far different effect, even upon thoſe, up… whom it hath no ſaving effect; one raves a… rageth againſt it, is ſeared and ſtupiſie by it; another is convinced and terriſi… by it. Feſtus he ſcoffs and mocks, go… away laughing at the Doctrine, and … viling the Preacher: But Agrippa is co… vinced, and half perſuaded, to believe and practiſe that very Doctrine, and highly to eſteem the Preacher of it. And is it not ſo even among us? Are there not many who may come to the Ordinances in a natural and ſinful Eſtate and Condition, the ſame Word of God is caſt among them all; yea, but what is the Succeſs? The Sword of the Spirit when it is brandiſhed amongſt a great Croud of Conſciences, it is not likely that it ſhould miſs all, and ſtrike none of them; one perhaps goes away ſlighting and contemning; another goes away ſcoffing and railing againſt it; and another half-perſuaded by it to become a Chriſtian, to be almoſt a Chriſtian. If every Man's Breaſt had a Caſement in it by which we might ſee the inward Eſtuations and Boilings of their Hearts, how they work after a powerful and terrifying Sermon; ſhould we not behold and ſee ſome ſhifting, and ſhuffling their Sins out of the way; ſome holding up the Bucklers of prejudicate Opinions, to ward and fence off the ſtroke of the Spirit; ſome fretting and ſtorming at the lancing of their Conſciences; ſome ſcorning and ſcoffing with Feſtus, that it is no better than Folly and Madneſs; ſome trembling with Felix; ſome convinced and wrought upon as Agrippa to faint reſolutions, and half purpoſes; and yet all theſe remain under the Power of Unbelief and Unregeneracy. It is indeed a wonder among ſuch diverſity of Operations that the Word hath upon the Souls and Conſciences of Men, it could be poſſible that ſuch a multitude ſhould go away without any ſaving Operation by it; ſome blinded and hardened, ſome terrified, ſome ſtupified; …e exaſperated and inraged; ſome convinced and half-perſuaded, and ſuch are thoſe that we now ſpeak of: Such as are, as it were, half of one Complexion, and half of another, that ſtick in the New Birth, whoſe Hearts have been warmed with good Motions; who have entertained approving and admiring Thoughts concerning the ways of Holineſs, who have taken up ſome reſolutions of doing better, and of being better; and yet do not come off roundly and ſpeedily from their Sins, nor cloſe fully with Chriſt. Theſe are the half-Chriſtians which the Text ſpeaks of.
The Words they are plain in themſelves; and therefore do not require much Explication. Only the Word tranſlated Almoſt thou perſuadeſt me, &c. if accurately rendered according to the Original, it is a little thou perſuadeſt me, &c. So in the Reply St. Paul makes with a holy kind of Gallantry in the enſuing Verſe you find there it is oppoſed to much, which we render altogether; but the Grammatical Conſtruction is, Would to God they were both all and in much ſuch as I am except theſe Bonds. So then in a little thou perſuadeſt me; that is, I could methinks be contented to be a Chriſtian in a little, in ſome few things; ſome part of the Way I could willingly go, ſaith Agrippa: But St. Paul concludes, it muſt not be only in a little, but in much, in all. If we follow this Sence and Interpretation of the Words; then obſerve,
Doct. 1. There goes much to the making of a true Chriſtian, a little will not ſerve.
It is not a little will ſerve; for many precious Ingredients go to the making of a true Chriſtian; and much of each Ingredient goes to the making of a ſtrong Chriſtian. There muſt be Profeſſion, Faith, Obedience, Self-denial, Patience, Humility, outward Preparation and inward Graces, outward Imbelliſhments and inward Ornaments, and a little of it is but little worth. There are many that are perſuaded to be Chriſtians in Name and Profeſſion, to be Chriſtians in outward participation of Ordinances and Communion with Saints and the like; yea, but this is to be a Chriſtian but only in a little. Are you perſuaded to obey Chriſt in all, to take up his Croſs, and deny your ſelves, to oppoſe and mortifie your Luſts, and to perform the harſheſt and ſevereſt part of Religion: This is indeed to be a Chriſtian not only in a little but in much; yea, in all, to be ſuch as St. Paul himſelf was. But then if you take the Words according to our Tranſlation, which the Original alſo will very well bear. So it is within a little or almost thou perſuadeſt me; for King Agrippa was fully convinced of the Truth of thoſe things which Paul related, as you may ſee, v. 26. He knew theſe things, and was ignorant of none of them, they were not hidden from him; for theſe things were not done in a corner. He could not be ignorant of the miraculous Converſion of him, who had been ſo furious and notorious a Perſecutor of Chriſtians: He, who was expert in all the Cuſtoms that were among the Jews, ver. 3. could not be ignorant of what the Apoſtle affirms, ver. 22, 23. This that Moſes and the Prophets foretold that Chriſt ſhould ſuffer and be raiſed from the dead, and ſhould give life to the Gentiles: Of all this King Agrippa was fully convinced; and yet when Paul ſo inſinuatingly preſſeth upon him, Believeſt thou the Prophets? I know thou believeſt. The reſult of all is this, That he was but almoſt perſuaded, not fully perſuaded of the Truth of what St. Paul ſpeaks concerning Chriſt, concerning himſelf, and concerning Chriſtians; yet for all that he was but almost perſuaded to be a Chriſtian. Hence likewiſe obſerve,
Doct. 2. That Perſons who are fully and truly convinced, are many times but almoſt and half-perſuaded.
There may be a powerful perſuaſion in the Judgment and the Conſcience concerning Chriſt and his ways, when there is but half a perſuaſion in the Will and Affections to cloſe with him. Theſe Obſervations I gather up as they lie ſtrewed in my paſſage. I ſhall not inſiſt upon them but only as they are ſubſervient to the fuller Proſecution of the General Doctrine, which you may take thus.
Doct. 3. That thoſe who never were in CHRIST; yet may be almoſt Chriſtians.
I need not here ſtand to tell you, that Chriſtianity may be taken either,
Firſt, For an outward Profeſſion of Chriſt, as it is oppoſed to all other Religions in the World, whether Heatheniſh Idolatry, Mahometan Stupidity, or Jewiſh Ceremony: Or,
Secondly, For an inward and cordial embracing of Jeſus Chriſt, thus profeſſed, as it ſtands oppoſed, either to the Prophaneneſs or Hypocriſie of carnal Goſpellers.
Evident it is, that the Chriſtianity that Agrippa was almoſt perſuaded into, was of the firſt ſort, not excluding the ſecond. Nay, it was ſeldom ſeen that in thoſe Primitive Times, wherein no carnal Reſpect or outward Advantage could commend the Goſpel to the Intereſts of Men. When the reward of profeſſing Chriſt was Perſecution and Martyrdom; then I ſay it was ſeldom ſeen that any would take Chriſt by Profeſſion, who would not alſo take him by Faith and Adherence. Few there were that would take up Religion, even upon this Condition, to lay down their Lives for Chriſt, who yet through their own Profaneneſs or Hypocriſie, were to receive no Benefit from the Death of Chriſt. So that to perſuade Men then to be Chriſtians in Profeſſion, it was the ſame with perſuading them to be Chriſtians in reality. But now when the Name of Chriſt is ſo much courted, when the denying of Chriſt would be repaid with the ſame puniſhment, that formerly the owning of Chriſt underwent, you need not ſo much perſuaſion to take upon you the outward Profeſſion of Chriſtianity. For you are not only almoſt, but altogether Chriſtians in the external Garb; but our perſuaſion to you, muſt be, that as you own Chriſt in an outward Profeſſion of him, ſo that you would cleave to him by a true Faith in him, and Obedience to him.
We are not then to ſpeak to Pagans, to convert them to a new Religion; but (if I may ſo ſay) we are to ſpeak to Chriſtian Infidels, to convert them to a new Life and Converſation. Nor yet among theſe doth my Subject lead me to the profane and looſer ſort, whoſe being called Chriſtians doth not more honour them, than they diſgrace and reproach that holy Name; but to thoſe who are more elevated, and more refined, who go far in Chriſtianity ſo as to be near the Kingdom of God. In a word, ſuch as are Almoſt Chriſtians, and yet are Strangers to Chriſt, and remain in their ſinful State and unregenerate Condition.
Now in the Proſecution of this Point, I ſhall enquire into theſe following Particulars in this Method.
1. What Progreſs Men may make towards Chriſtianity, and yet fall ſhort of it.
2. Whence they are enabled to proceed ſo far, and what it is that carries them out to all their Attainments.
3. What it is that hinders them from proceeding further; and when they are almoſt Chriſtians, what keeps them from being ſuch altogether?
4. To ſhew you the folly and miſery of thoſe who proceed thus far only, as to be almoſt Chriſtians, and no farther.
Firſt, Let us ſee what Progreſs a natural. Man may make towards Grace and Chriſtianity, and yet remain in a ſinful ſtate. Before I can come in particular to determine this, I muſt premiſe theſe two or three Particulars:
Firſt, That when we enquire what Progreſs an unregenerate man may make towards Grace, this ſuppoſes that there is a tendency in what ſuch a man doth, or may do towards the obtaining of Grace. Or how elſe can he make any progreſs towards it, if that which he doth hath no tendency to it? Let us therefore enquire what kind of tendency this is. There may be a two-ſold tendency ſuppoſed in the Actions of an unregenerate man, towards the acquiſition of Grace.
1. Effective, Tendency.
2. Subjective, Tendency.
I. Actions may be ſaid to have an effective tendency, when they do by their own efficiency and cauſalty produce that which they tend to; and in this ſence it muſt be denied that the Actions of an unregenerate man, have any tendency towards Grace, be their progreſs what it will; thereby he cannot efficiently produce or cauſe Grace in himſelf; and therefore Grace is called the new Creature, as being the effect only of creating Power, which is the ſole Prerogative of God, and it is as utterly impoſſible for a Man to create Grace in the Soul, as to create the Soul it ſelf. Take but this one demonſtration to evince it: If an unregenerate Man by his own Power and Efficiency can produce Grace in himſelf, then one of theſe two groſs Abſurdities muſt needs follow, either. 1. that there are ſtill left holy Habits and Principles in the Will, which were never loſt by the Fall of Man: Or, 2. That a Man may make himſelf truly holy by a Will that is totally corrupt and ſinful; but either of theſe are very groſs.
Firſt, There are no holy nor divine Habits left in the Will of a carnal man, whereby he ſhould be able to regenerate, and convert himſelf; for what holy Habit can there be in the Will of one that is wholly corrupted? if any ſuch be ſuppoſed, it may alſo be ſuppoſed that it is true Grace; and to affirm that a Man in a ſtate of Nature hath true Grace inherent in him, whereby he is able to convert and regenerate himſelf, is double non-ſence and a flat contradiction; for it is to affirm that he hath Grace before he hath it.
Secondly, A Will totally corrupted, cannot make an holy Man, cannot produce Grace, nor make a Man holy, Grace is beyond and above its Sphere, all the motions of the Will in its fallen Eſtate, what through defect of a right Principle from whence they flow, and a right end to which they tend, they are all evil and ſinful. And it is very ſtrange to affirm that a gracious Habit may be wrought in us by ſinful Actions. And beſides the Will of a Man by the Fall, it is a fleſhly Will; but in Regeneration it is made ſpiritual. Now it were a ſtrange kind of Production, if fleſhly could beget ſpiritual; nor would it any longer hold true what our Saviour ſaith in John 3.35. That which is born of the fleſh, is fleſh: So that I think 'tis very evident, that all that a Man can do by the power of Nature cannot tend efficiently to produce Grace in him.
Secondly, There is a ſubjective tendency towards Grace; and this lies in thoſe moral preparations, and thoſe diſpoſitions of the heart which fit it for the receiving of Grace, though it be wrought there only by the Holy Ghoſt. And thus we affirm that while Men are in an unregenerate ſtate, they may have and do ſomewhat that hath a tendency in it to Grace; that is, one unregenerate Man may have more of theſe previous diſpoſitions, and of theſe preparations for the receiving of Grace, than another hath: For though it be not in it ſelf ſingly neceſſary that ſuch previous diſpoſitions ſhould be wrought in the Soul before the implantation of divine Grace; ſince ſuch a Subject as the Soul is in reſpect of Grace, doth not, as the Schoolmen determine, require its previous diſpoſitions for the production of its Form; yet this … the uſual common way of the Spirit's work,
1. To prepare the heart by ſome common Works of Conviction, legal Terrors, and remorſe of Conſcience, firſt to prepare the heart by theſe before it works any ſaving and real work of Grace in it: And therefore when any unregenerate man hath much of theſe previous preparations, we ſay that he goes very far towards Grace, and he may be ſaid to be almoſt a Chriſtian. And this is all that tendency that an unregenerate Man hath, or can poſſibly do towards it; viz. a preparatory, and not an effective operative tendency unto ſaving Grace and Regeneration.
2. Another thing premiſed is this, That what through wilful ſloth and wretched negligence, no unregenerate Man doth make ſo great a progreſs towards Grace as he is able and can poſſibly do. None go ſo far as they can do in thoſe previous preparations and diſpoſitions towards it. When they find difficulty in oppoſing Temptation, in crucifying their Luſts, in performing of Duties, in denying their ſinful Delights and Pleaſures, having nothing ſupernatural within them to naturalize and facilitate theſe things, and carry them on reſolutely through all, they never keep up to the utmoſt of that Power which they have; but as they yield to thoſe Temptations that they might reſiſt, and commit thoſe Sins that they might reject, and neglect thoſe Duties which for Matter and Subſtance of them they might perform; ſo none of them goes ſo far as they have a natural power to do: No Man goes ſo far in the work of Grace as he might, if he would improve that power which he hath by Nature.
3. Did they make as great a progreſs towards Grace as they might, they would not fall ſo far ſhort of Grace as they do. I ſay if a wicked unregenerate Man did but as much as he is able by the power of Nature to do, without the ſpecial Aſſiſtance of the Holy Ghoſt, they would not fall ſo far ſhort of Grace as they do. I would not enter into that Diſpute whether God be engaged to beſtow Grace upon the right Improvement of their natural power; yet it is certain, and agreed on by all, that he doth certainly do ſo. God uſually beſtows true and ſaving Grace upon thoſe who do rightly, and to their utmoſt, improve their natural power and ability for their acquiring of it. If God be not obliged by promiſe to aſſiſt them; yet through his Goodneſs and Mercy he is not wont to deſert them. Let them but labour to improve their natural ability to the utmoſt ſtrain and pitch that their own capacity can elevate, God will (according to his uſual method and wonted Goodneſs) come in by ſupernatural Grace, and inable them to do that which by Nature they are not able to do; for no inſtance can be given to the contrary. So then we may conclude that wicked Men never go ſo far as they can; and did they, yet they could not efficiently work Grace in themſelves, but nevertheleſs they would be diſpoſed and prepared for the receipt of Grace, which God upon ſuch preparations would undoubtedly beſtow upon them. For although he be not obliged to give it them, yet uſually he is wont to work it in them meerly through his own natural Goodneſs, free Grace and Mercy to them, pitying the weakneſs of their lapſed and fallen Nature.
I ſhall proceed to the Anſwer of the firſt Queſtion in the general. 1. Unregenerate Men may make a great progreſs, and may go very far towards Grace, and yet fall ſhort of it; that in general is to be Almoſt a Chrſtian. This I laid down in the Method propounded to you. Although though I ſay not they go as far as they can by the power of Nature, and yet fall ſhort of Grace; for that can never be inſtanced in any; yet the ſad and wretched Apoſtacy of thoſe who have been eminent Profeſſors, ſhining, yea, and glaring Lights, exceeding, and alſo deſpiſing common attainments of others; their Apoſtacy hath too evidently confirmed it to us, that Men may go very far towards Grace, and yet fall ſhort of it. See what Chriſt ſaith Mark. 12.24. of that young Man, that forward young Man, Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God; that is, thou art not far from Grace; for ſo the Kingdom of God is oftentimes taken in Scripture for the Kingdom of Grace, ſo that we may ſay of ſuch Men, they were not far from the Kingdom of God, not far from Grace, not far from Heaven, climbing up almoſt thither, within view and ken of it, having one foot, as it were, upon the Threſhold of the Heavenly Gate; and yet even theſe tumble headlong, and never reſt until they have plunged themſelves to the bottom of Hell. It is with ſuch Men as it is with the Vapours that are drawn up into the Air, they ſhine with the ſame Light, with the ſame apparent Magnitude as the fixed Stars themſelves do, and we may think them moving in the very ſame Sphere with them; but when we ſee them dart down to the Earth, and ſpilling all that Light and Glory, which they gliſtered with by the way, and fall into a filthy Jelly, thicker and more loathſome Subſtance than when they were firſt exhaled, we then conclude that all that Elevation of thoſe falſe and blazing Lights, was vaſtly ſhort of that Heaven in which they ſeemed ſometime to be fixed. So is it with many unregenerate Men; you cannot tell with what they are fraught till you ſee them ſhipwracked; then it is a ſign, that though they were never right and true Treaſure, yet they are ſomething very like it: When we ſee them tumbling down off a glorious Profeſſion through fatal Precipices of great, groſs, and deſperate Sins, we may ſadly conclude that that Man was not far from the Kingdom of God, though he was never yet there. Indeed every unregenerate Man, when he winds up himſelf to the higheſt pitch and ſtrain, he may be ſaid to be far from the Kingdom of God, in reſpect of his total deprivation of Grace; though his Actions be never ſo fair and ſpecious, yet they are very far from being gracious, as far as Darkneſs is from Light; yet he may be ſaid not to be far from the Kingdom of God likewiſe in a four-fold reſpect.
Firſt, In that he is far from that which is furtheſt from Grace; and that is, groſs, flagitious, and notorious Sins, which are fartheſt off from Grace of all others; and theſe a natural Man may be very far and free from; and therefore not far from Grace.
Secondly, He may have that which very much reſembles and counterfeits Grace, ſo that as to outward appearance there is but very little Diſſimilitude diſcernable between them. Now that which is like another, may be ſaid not to be far from that which it is like.
Thirdly, He may be ſaid not to be far from Grace, becauſe (as I told you before) in the ordinary Works of the Spirit upon his Soul, he may have thoſe preparations and diſpoſitions laid in them, which uſually are previous and antecedent to Grace, becauſe theſe are wrought uſually before Grace; and therefore the perſon that hath theſe wrought upon him may be ſaid not to be far from Grace.
Fourthly, He may be ſaid not to be far from Grace, becauſe if he did proceed but a little farther, he would poſſibly attain to true Grace. Had ſuch but improved their natural power to ſuch a degree farther, God would have come in with power ſupernatural, and have wrought that true and ſaving Principle in their lives, which would have been ſure to have brought them to eternal Life. Grace indeed hath ſuch a kind of dependance upon that which is natural; and that dependance is not ſo much of Cauſalty, as of Order and Conſequence, which though it be not neceſſary, yet it is commonly granted on all Hands. Thus then in the general I have ſhewn you that unregenerate Men may go far, yea very far towards. A Man may be Almoſt a Chriſtian, and yet be out of Chriſt; be near the Kingdom of Heaven, and yet not in it; and, poſſibly, be for ever excluded and ſhut out of it.