The Almost Christian, Sermon 3
SERMON III.
4. EVery change that is wrought upon the Will, is no certain evidence of the truth of Grace; a Man may fall ſhort of true ſaving Grace, when there is yet a great change wrought upon the Will; it is true, it is the through change of the Will, wherein Grace doth principally conſiſt; this is the firſt principal Act from the Spirit of Life, without which, whatſoever other change is wrought upon us, it is no more than to ſet the hand of the Watch to the right hour when the Spring is broken. The Philoſophers call the Will, the commanding, ſwaying faculty of the Soul, that controuls all the Inferior faculties, and makes them obey its inclinations; ſo that ſuch as the Will is, ſuch is the whole Man: And therefore the Scripture in ſetting forth the two-fold State of Men, doth it by ſhewing the temper of their Wills; unregenerate Men are deſcribed by their willfulneſs, Ye will not come to me that ye might have Life, 2 John 4. The People of God are deſcribed by their willingneſs, Pſal. 116.3. They ſhall be a willing People in the Day of thy Power. And here I ſhall endeavour two things,
Firſt, To ſhew you after what manner the Spirit of God doth work this renewing change upon the Will.
Secondly, What other change is wrought upon it which falls ſhort of true Grace, though oftentimes it is taken for it.
For the firſt, We muſt know that there are two ways, whereby God doth effectually change the Heart and Will of a Sinner: And theſe are Moral Swaſions, and Phyſical Determinations, which is nothing elſe, but God's All powerful Grace, whereby he doth immediately turn the bent and inclination of the Will towards himſelf, and both theſe do always concurr and accrue to this great change. He doth firſt convince a Sinner, and perſwade him of the rationality of the ways of God, of the vileneſs and emptineſs of thoſe vain things, which his deſires ſo eagerly purſue: And on the other hand, he clearly repreſents the Glory and Excellency of himſelf and his ways, that he is the greateſt good that we can enjoy; and yet there is no other way to enjoy him, but by loving and ſerving of him: To do this he makes uſe of moral Swaſions, and works upon our reaſon, by cogent and prevailing Arguments, which at laſt diffuſeth ſuch Heavenly ſweetneſs through the heart of a Chriſtian, which makes him diſreliſh thoſe fulſome delights of ſin, that ſeparate from that infinite Good, with which it holds compariſon, ſo that he finds more true delight in God and his ways, and more alluring and charming joy in them, than ever he did before in ſenſual pleaſure; more are thereby carryed forth unto them, by an infallible, yet altogether free, voluntary and amorous motion; and this is done by the real efficiency likewiſe of the Spirit of God upon the Will, and this efficiency, is ſo ſweetly attempered to the native Liberty of the Will, that it will be a pain and a torment to the Soul, to be ſeparated from that God, whom now his underſtanding doth apprehend, and whom his Will doth claſp about, as the real and chiefeſt good. Here you ſee are both moral Swaſions, and Phyſical Determinations, of the Will to the Work of Grace; God doth really determine it by the efficacious touch of his Grace, whereby he powerfully turns the bent and inclination of it to himſelf, which before ſtood towards ſin and vanity; and that this might not infringe the Wills Prerogative of acting freely, he doth at the ſame time morally perſwade it, by repreſenting himſelf as the beſt and moſt ſatisfying object of it; notwithſtanding the irreſiſtableneſs of God's working upon the Will; yet ſtill Man's Will is free in God's working of Grace, which ſome have thought to be an irreconcilable difference.
For the freedom of the Will doth not conſiſt in redoubled pure Acts, for otherwiſe the Saints and Angels themſelves, that are under that bleſſed neceſſity, that they cannot but love and ſerve God, would not love him and ſerve him freely: The liberty of the Will, conſiſts in an acting upon rational grounds and motives, which by how much ſtronger they are, by ſo much more they turn the neceſſity of the Will to him, and yet by ſo much the more the Will is free in acting: So that here the liberty of the Will may not violate the cauſality of God's purpoſe, he changeth it by the power of his irreſiſtible Grace. And yet that this irreſiſtible Grace, may not violate the liberty of the Will, which is its natural privilege, he perſwades it by ſuch natural Arguments, that it could not act freely if it ſhould diſſent from them, though God uſeth infinite power, yet he uſeth no violence, he ſubdues the Will, but doth not compell it. This is that victorious Grace, that doth not more overcome a Sinner's reſiſtance, than it doth his prejudice; it overcomes all oppoſition by its own irreſiſtible Power, and overcomes all its prejudices by its attractive ſweetneſs: And whenever it brings him to ſubmit to God, it makes him to apprehend, that his chiefeſt happineſs and joy is to do ſo. And it is the ſame that doth afterwards preſerve a Chriſtian from total Apoſtacy, for though there be ſuch a conſtant ſupply of Grace to keep them, that they ſhall never draw back to Perdition; yet withal, their own freedom is ſuch, that they may if they will, but when the Will ceaſeth its freedom, it never inclines but to that which is moſt pleaſing, and nothing is pleaſing to a renewed, ſanctified Will, ſo much as that Sovereign good, which comprehends in it all other good. Thus you ſee, how God diſpoſeth of the Will of Man, changing it without conſtraining of it, turning it not forcibly, but infallibly to himſelf, when he draws it by the ſweet and efficacious operation of his Grace; Thus I have diſpatched the firſt thing, and ſhewed how God works the renewing change upon the Will of a Sinner.
The ſecond particular is to ſhew you, what other Change may be wrought upon the Will; which yet falls ſhort of true Grace, and may bring a Man almoſt to Chriſtianity, and yet leave him in a natural ſtate and condition.
Firſt, an unregenerate Man may have many faint velleities, and wiſhings, and wouldings after Grace; when he hears ſo much ſpoken of the Beauty and excellency of Holineſs, he is convinced in his judgment that thoſe things are true, that without Holineſs no Man ſhall ſee the Lord; and that though while he is carnal, ſpiritual duties are tedious and a burthen to him; yet were he ſpiritualized, they would become more delightful to him than thoſe very pleaſures of ſin, which keep him from cloſing with Grace: Were he renewed thoſe very pleaſures of ſin would become unſavoury to him, that which now he is afraid to loſe if he would turn to Conſcience he would not value the loſs of it. When an unregenerate Man, I ſay, is thus convinced of this, it will make him to break out into pangs of Affection wiſhing for Grace. O that I were holy and gracious! I wiſh my heart were changed and renewed: I wiſh I were better and could do better; I appeal to every Man's Conſcience, when he hath been convinced of the excellency and deſirableneſs of holineſs, whether they have not breathed forth ſuch wiſhes as theſe are. When you have ſeen a Chriſtian that is eminent and exemplary for piety; have not you wiſhed your ſelves in his condition, not only in reſpect of his future reward and glory, but alſo in reſpect of his preſent Grace. Have you not wiſhed that ſuch had been your comelineſs and beauty, have you not wiſhed not only with Balaam, to die the death of the righteous, and that your laſt end might be like his; but alſo your Life by living righteouſly; and yet ſtill continue in the ſame courſe and ſinful ſtate as formerly? Why now ſuch empty Velleities, and idle Wiſhes an unregenerate man may poſſibly have; he may wiſh he were a Saint, even as a fond fooliſh man, according to his idle fancy, may wiſh that he were an Angel; but ſuch wiſhes do not put them upon a conſtant attempt and uſe of the Means whereby they might become ſuch, their wiſhes and their ſighs vaniſh away together, the one retaining no longer an impreſſion upon their hearts, than the other in the Air; he runs into the commiſſion of that ſin, which with his mouth he wiſhes he might not commit, and lives in the neglect of holy duties, and yet can wiſh that he had performed them; ſuch contradictory wiſhes have unregenerate men; they wiſh themſelves holy, and yet are wilfully ſinful; they wiſh that they were better, and yet will not endeavour their own amendment.
Secondly, An unregenerate man, he may not reſt in theſe Wiſhes, but he may riſe to a Reſolution; I ſay, to ſome degree of Reſolution: They reſolve many things; That their Luſts ſhall no longer enſlave them; That the Pleaſures of the World ſhall no longer bewitch them; That the Difficulties of Religion ſhall no longer affright them; but that they will break through all, and act like Men: And ſuch generous and ingenuous Reſolutions as theſe a man in his natural eſtate may fortifie himſelf with. Grace they know they muſt have, elſe they are eternally undone; they know that God hath not been wanting to their endeavours, and they peremptorily reſolve that they will not be wanting to themſelves. We may ſee the ſame ſtrong reſolutions of thoſe that came to enquire of Jeremy, chap. 42.5, 6. They ſaid, the Lord be a true and faithful witneſs between us, if we do not according to all things for which the Lord thy God ſhall ſend thee to us, &c. And yet none more rebellious and diſobedient againſt God than theſe men that make this Remonſtrance. And now notwithſtanding theſe Wiſhes, and theſe Reſolutions, the Will of a Natural Man falls ſhort of a ſaving Change, and that uſually in theſe Particulars.
Firſt, In that it is a fickle and unconſtant Will; their Deſires may be ſometimes violent and paſſionate, as if they would take Heaven by force, and wreſt Mercy out of the hands of God: their Prayers may be importunate and earneſt, as if they would take no denial; but this violent Spirit is ſoon ſpent, and this full Bent of their Souls ſoon flaggs, and returns again, as formerly, ever and anon into the commiſſion of ſome foul and groſs Sins. Such a Will as this is, though at firſt it hurries them apace, yet it is ſoon tired, and leaves them ſhort of Grace and Heaven. The Chriſtian Race is not to be run by ſo many fits, but by a conſtant courſe and progreſs, ſtill getting ground upon our Luſts, ſtill approaching nearer to the Kingdom of Heaven: But it is with ſuch men as it is with the Sea when a ſpring-tide covers all the ſhoar; when it ebbs, it diſcovers nothing but Sands, which before was nothing but deep Water; ſo theſe affected and flowing Chriſtians, they diſcover that there is nothing but barren Sands at the bottom, that they are as unſtable as Water. A Chriſtian is not made in a Fit, neither is the Work of Grace wrought in a Paſſion; but it is a ſetled, ſolemn, and conſtant frame of Heart that brings a man to Chriſt and Salvation.
Secondly, The Will of an unregenerate man is never univerſally changed; ſtill they reſerve to themſelves ſome Luſt or other, that they will not part withall, and their Reſolutions concerning their ſins, are ſuch as the Reſolution of Naaman the Aſſyrian, 2 Kings 5.18. In this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant, that when my Maſter goes into the houſe of Rimmon, to worſhip there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I how my ſelf in the houſe of Rimmon, &c. The Lord pardon thy Servant in this thing. So men may be peremptory in their reſolutions to forſake their Sins, yet ſtill there may be ſome one dear Luſt or other that makes them cry with Naaman, Lord, pardon thy Servant in this thing. Now they will be willing to receive Chriſt if they may be allowed in one Darling-Sin; now the partition that any one Sin makes between Chriſt and the Soul, muſt needs hinder the ſoul from cloſing with Chriſt; as, if you throw but any little thing between the branch and the ſtock that it is ingrafted into, the Sap will never be communicated to it, and ſo it will never grow up to be a Plant.
Thirdly, The Will of an unregenerate Man is uſually irrational; it would obtain the End, and yet not uſe the Means. Grace poſſibly they would have, but they cannot bring their averſe Wills to cloſe with the performance of thoſe unpleaſing & irkſome Duties wherein God uſually beſtows Grace, and by which he conveys Grace to the Soul. Could they be holy with a wiſh, and a ſudden fancy that inflames them, then none ſhould be better Chriſtians than themſelves; could they enter into Heaven by being willing, there is none then ſhould ſhine above them in Glory; but when there is ſo much hard and unpleaſing work, firſt that they muſt be born of God, and after they are true Chriſtians they muſt exerciſe every Grace, and perform every Duty that may ſit and prepare them for Glory, they look upon theſe things as too difficult, which makes them ſit down with idle Wiſhes ſhort both of Grace and Glory; their Wills are very irrational; they would have Heaven, but they ſlight Grace, the way to it; and poſſibly they would have Grace, but they cannot bring themſelves to the performance of thoſe irkſome and unpleaſing Duties in and by which Grace is uſually beſtowed and conveyed.
Fourthly, The Will of an unregenerate Man is uſually general, not a particular Will. If God ſhould ask them, Sinner, what would you do to be ſaved? They would anſwer, Any thing, every thing. But let God bid them leave ſuch and ſuch a Sin, perform ſuch and ſuch a Duty, they anſwer with Naaman, Any Sin but that; any Duty but that. So it is with theſe Men; Oh any thing in the general; but when God brings them down to Particulars to do this or that, then they are willing to do juſt nothing.
Now I have ſhewed you how far the Will it ſelf may be changed in unregenerate perſons; they may wiſh after Grace, and reſolve to be better, and to do better, and yet fall ſhort of ſaving Grace; and alſo what it is that hinders this change from being a through work of Grace, what it is that obſtructs them when they are almoſt, that they are not altogether Chriſtians.
Fifthly, As for the Life and Converſation.
There may be a great change wrought in the Lives of unregenerate perſons who yet fall ſhort of Chriſtianity. The Apoſtle, 2 Pet. 2.20. ſpeaks of ſuch who having eſcaped the pollutions of the world, through Luſt were again entangled therein, and overcome, &c. It ſeems to eſcape the pollutions of the world, is no Argument of true Grace, unleſs they be alſo cleanſed from the pollutions of the Heart; for ſin may be left merely from external and forced Principles, ſuch as Terrors of Conſcience for the heavy Judgments of God. When God ſets up a flaming ſword between a ſinner and thoſe ſins which he accounts his Paradiſe here; now to leave ſin upon ſuch a ſtrait as this is, is to leave it with a great deal of reluctancy; as when a Mariner in a ſtorm caſts his goods over-board into the ſea, it is with his will indeed; but it is with an unwilling willingneſs; he is frighted and terrified to it: ſo when the ſoul is toſſed with the Tempeſt of divine wrath, and when ready to be ſplit upon the Rock of Ages, and ſunk and be ſwallowed up in a Sea of Fire and Brimſtone, he is forced to light himſelf, and to caſt this and that dear Luſt over-board; this he doth from his will; but it is ſuch a forced will as that of Mariners, who throw their Treaſure over-board, and as ſoon as the Tempeſt is over, the one gathers up his floating wrecks, and the other his ſins. Theſe men leave their ſins as Lot's Wiſe left Sodom; they dare no longer continue in it leſt Fire and Brimſtone rain upon them, and yet when they do leave them, they give many a wiſhly look back again, and have ſtrong and vehement deſires after them. That Reformation of Life that only frees us from debauchedneſs, that falls far ſhort of true Chriſtianity, and of making us altogether Chriſtians; this is that with which many ſooth up themſelves when they they reflect back upon the wild extravagances of their former time, how outrageouſly wicked they have been, riotous, drunkards, unclean, blaſphemers, and now they find themſelves deadned to theſe ſins, and grown men of ſtaid and ſober lives, they ſtraightway conclude, Certainly this great change could never be made on them otherwiſe than by the renewing work of the Holy Ghoſt; and yet … this amendment there may be no work of Regeneration; for men may gather up their looſe and diſſolute Lives within ſome compaſs of Civility and Morality, and yet be utterly ſtrangers to this Work. Much of this may be aſcribed partly to convictions of God's Spirit, awakening natural Conſcience to ſee the horrour and danger of ſuch daring and outrageous ſins, and partly too from Prudence, gotten from frequent experience of manifold inconveniences that they brought upon themſelves by ſuch ſins; and both theſe Convictions and moral Prudence are Principles that fall very far ſhort of true Chriſtianity. Uſually all the ſpecious Reformation and Amendment of theſe mens Lives, is in effect either a changing of the Sin, or a tiring out the Sinner.
Firſt, The Life may ſeem to be reformed, when men exchange their rude and boiſterous ſins for ſuch as are more demure and ſober; from riotous, they grow worldly; from prophane and irreligious, they grow ſuperſtitious and hypocritical; from Atheiſts, they grow Hereticks; from ſins of Practice, to ſins of Contemplation: They are apt to think, certainly this change muſt needs be the change of their Nature, when indeed it is but the change of their ſins; and uſually it is ſuch a change too, though it render the Life more inoffenſive, yet it makes the Soul more incurable. Auſtin, in his 29th. Epiſtle, tells us, That Vices may give place, when Vert…e or Grace do not take it.
Secondly, The Life may ſeem to be reformed, when men are only tired out; when they have out-grown their ſins. There are ſins which are proper and peculiar to ſuch a ſtate and ſeaſon of a man's Life, upon the alteration of which they vaniſh and diſappear: Sins of Youth drop off from declining Age, as misbecoming them. Now this deceives men, when they look … to the Vanities which they have for…aken; how deadned are they to thoſe ſinful ways which before they much delighted in? They conclude certainly this great change muſt needs proceed from true Grace, when they do not leave their ſins ſo much as their ſins leave them, and drop off from them as rotten fruit from a Tree; the faculties of their minds, and members of their bodies, which before were Inſtruments of ſin and unrighteouſneſs, are now become Inſtruments of Morality and ſeeming Vertues; this ſets them not free from the ſervice of ſin, but only reſtrains them from breaking out into notorious and ſcandalous Vices.
Thirdly, A Civil and harmleſs demeanour doth not render a man altogether a Chriſtian; there be many ingenuous ſpirits, who lived blameleſly in the world, their good Natures nearly reſembling Grace; and ſuch was Paul's before his converſion: For he tells us, As touching the Law, he was blameleſs: So the young man that came to Chriſt to know what Leſſon he had further to take out. This only argues a ſweet Diſpoſition, but not a gracious Heart. Thus you ſee how diſſolute men may miſtake themſelves in this Work, upon which their e…ernal happineſs depends. It is to be ſeared that many may reſt upon theſe, and think the great diſcriminating change to be wrought, only becauſe they are morally honeſt, or gained over to a profeſſion of Truth, or to ſuch a Party or Sect of Profeſſors; when indeed true Chriſtianity conſiſts not in theſe things.
This ſhall ſuffice for the firſt General propounded; What Change may be wrought upon a man ſo as to bring him almoſt to Chriſtianity, and yet leave him ſhort of being a Chriſtian: I ſhall cloſe up this Branch with ſome Practical Conſiderations.
Ʋſe 1. What then ſhall become of ſuch as fall ſhort of thoſe that fall ſhort of Grace, that arenot ſo much as Almoſt Chriſtians? What will become of carnal, looſe, and prophane Sinners? If thoſe that have been gazed at and admired for burning and ſhining Lights, yet have fallen into the blackneſs of darkneſs, even into the Dungeon of eternal darkneſs, were we but ſerious in this Reflection, it would make all our faces gather blackneſs, and fill all our hearts with aſtoniſhment, to conſider that we are not gone ſo far in Chriſtianity as thoſe may go, who yet fall ſhort of Heaven. Have we all been enlightened? Have we all taſted of the heavenly gift, and of the powers of the world to come? Have we all been made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt? Are there not many among us poſſibly whoſe hearts have never yet been touched with the ſenſe of ſin, never affected with any of the ways of God, that give themſelves up to all wickedneſs with greedineſs, who never have given ſo much as one ſerious wiſh towards Holineſs, when thoſe that ſeemed to ſhine as Stars in Heaven, ſhall be at laſt found burning in Hell; Oh, in what a diſmall caſe ſhall theſe Firebrands be?
Ʋſe 2. Hence likewiſe, ſee what a difficult thing it is to be a true Chriſtian. May a natural Man attain to all this that I have ſpoken of before? We may then take up that ſame Queſtion, which the Diſciples asked Chriſt, (when he had told them, that it was as caſe for a Camel to go through a needles Eye, as for a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven) Lord, who then ſhall be ſaved? What, may thoſe whoſe profeſſion hath been eminent, who have been Sainted in every Man's Kalender, may they at laſt miſcarry and periſh? Who then ſhall be ſaved? If ſuch be not Chriſtians, Chriſtianity ſeems to be rather ſome fanſied notion, than any thing real and attainable. To this we may make the ſame anſwer that Chriſt gave to the Diſciples, With Men indeed theſe things are impoſſible, but with God all things are poſſible: It is impoſſible for Men by their own ſtrength and natural ability to become Chriſtians, but it is poſſible for God to make them Chriſtians; It is poſſible as Miracles themſelves are poſſible, only poſſible to the Almighty Power of God: There is not any Soul can be perſwaded to be a Chriſtian, but he hath a Miracle wrought upon him, and he himſelf muſt do that, which is little leſs than a Miracle, he muſt act beyond the power of nature, and do more than a mere Man can do; therefore well may you ſuſpect your Chriſtianity, who find it ſo eaſie a matter to be a Chriſtian. Even natural Men find it a difficult task to attain to that height and pitch, where they ſhine in moral vertues, though far ſhort of Heaven, and it is eaſie for you to mount far higher than they, far beyond them; indeed it is an eaſie matter for any to make a ſlight formal profeſſion, to run in a round of Hypocritical Duties, and live a moral civil Life, this is eaſie, there is nothing miraculous in this: But is it caſie to pluck out the right Eye, and to cut off the right Hand? It is not eaſie to cruci…ie a darling Luſt, to cut off the right hand, when it lifts up it ſelf to plead for mercy, and to be ſpared a little longer, to pluck out the right eye, when it drops tears to beg compaſſion, and a little favor to be granted to it? Is it caſie to combate with Principalities and Powers, to baſſle Devils, and deſpiſe the ſcorns and affronts of the whole World? Is it eaſie to live like an Angel? Nay to live like Chriſt, to live like God himſelf? Is this eaſie, when we ſee ſo many tottering Profeſſors aſpiring towards Chriſtianity, ſome mounting till they are giddy and brain-ſick with their moſt damnable errors, others tumbling down from the Precipices of great and dangerous ſins.
We may well wonder that any are ſaved, when ſuch as theſe miſcarry: Well then, to conſider what it is that is wrought upon you, even that the Omnipotent God hath wrought, (and what it is that is wrought by you,) that that is beyond the Power of Nature: we may well conclude, what a difficult matter it is to become a true and ſerious Chriſtian altogether.
Ʋſe 3. May natural Men go thus far in Chriſtianity, O be you then perſwaded to go much further! Do not reſt in any attainment ſhort of Heaven and Glory. Reſt not in any preſent attainment; and this indeed is the moſt natural Uſe that can be made of this Subject, when you hear how great a progreſs wicked Men may make. I know that the hearts of the beſt Chriſtians are ready to ſuggeſt to them, and they will be apt to conclude againſt themſelves: All that is wrought upon them is but the common work of the Spirit; therefore their Graces are but Counterfeit, and that themſelves yet are ſhort of Chriſtianity; I know that this ſubject may cauſe ſuch jealouſies and ſuſpicions to ariſe in the hearts of ſome; but the genuine uſe of this Doctrine is not ſo much to pore upon our preſent condition, as to ſtir you up to make a future progreſs.
May a natural Man make ſo great a progreſs, as to be almost a Chriſtian, then certainly I muſt never reſt any where ſhort of Heaven. Well therefore, the Apoſtle in Heb. 6.11, 12. After he had ſhewn them at large what a height a natural Man may arrive to, he preſſeth them to be earneſt in their endeavours after perfection. Why, this will be the beſt evidence to you, that you are indeed Chriſtians, that you have the truth of Chriſtianity.
Though natural Men may poſſibly gliſter in a glorious Profeſſion, and ſhine like the Sun in its radiant ſplendor; yet like it they have their Zenith, their higheſt degree, which when they have climbed to, they fall down again. But a true Chriſtians courſe hath not any declenſion, he may proceed infinitely from one degree of Grace to another, he may aſcend and reach higher and higher till he hath reached Heaven, where all his infirmities ſhall be ſwallowed up, and aboliſhed in conſummated Glory. And indeed this is the greateſt evidence of the truth of Grace; a natural Man's motion to Heaven, it is violent and unnatural, it is forced from him, by ſome external impreſſions upon the Conſcience, Illumination, and common Works of the Holy Ghoſt, which as ſoon as this external force is ſpent, he falls naturally back again to his former courſe of ſin. As a Stone may be carryed a great height towards Heaven, by an outward violent impreſſion upon it, but when that force is worn off, it falls naturally back again to the earth. Now a Chriſtian mounts naturally to Heaven, which by reaſon of that dull mixture of Earth that is in him, his courſe tends to the Earth again; But the true Chriſtian ſtill mounts upward from the principle that carries him up, which indeed never totally ſpends it ſelf; therefore if thou wouldſt prove thy ſelf to be not almoſt, but altogether a Chriſtian, continue thy progreſs, ſtill gain ground towards Heaven, reſt not ſatisfied with any preſent attainments, but be ſtill riſing and ſoaring, until thou haſt gotten the World and them too under thy feet.
Fifthly, When you ſee any who have been forward in a Profeſſion, and gone far in Chriſtianity, to forſake their Station, and fall back to their former courſe of Profaneneſs: Take heed that you do not reproach, that you do not ſcandalize Religion with their Apoſtacy; this is that which opens the mouths and hardens the hearts of wicked Men, when they ſee ſuch Glorious, but yet Temporary Profeſſors to return with the Dog to the Vomit; they indeed firſt bleſs themſelves in their own ways, as being better than the ways of God, as being better than the Profeſſion of Religion; otherwiſe why ſhould thoſe that ſo long have forſaken them, and with a great deal of pomp, made ſuch a Glorious ſhew and Oſtentation of Religion, and of Conſcientiouſneſs, why ſhould ſuch return back again to their old ways.
Secondly, It makes them think, that all Profeſſors are but Hypocrites, that it is but a ſolemn cheat put upon the World, ſince ſuch forward Profeſſors of it are found forſakers of it. Some Men pleaſe themſelves with a few idle conceits of Grace, and the New-birth Communion with God, and the like unintelligible notions, when there is no other difference between them and others, but what only their fancies make. O take heed therefore, that you do not blaſpheme the ways of God, when you ſee the Apoſtacy of Profeſſors: No, theſe Men were never in thoſe ways. Had they been Chriſtians in deed, they would never have deſerted thoſe holy ways; their natures were never changed, and it is no wonder, that they are relapſed and fallen back again into their old Cuſtoms; to ſee the Swine that is cleanſed to return back again to the mire, it is nothing ſtrange. Had Chriſt changed the nature of theſe Swine, and made them his Sheep, then as they had firſt eſcaped the pollutions of the World, ſo they would have kept themſelves from ever being intangled by them. But this makes highly for the honour of Chriſtianity, and proves it to be a thing ſo excellent, that it cannot be long counterfeited; Hypocriſie ſhall certainly betray it ſelf by its Apoſtaſie, that it had never any thing of true and ſaving Grace, although it carried far in a ſhew and pretence of it. Thus much for the firſt thing propounded, how far a Man may attain towards Chriſtianity, and yet be in a natural ſinful State.