The Almost Christian Discovered, Sermon · Question 2
The ſecond Queſtion.
Why or whence is it that many men go ſo far as that they come to be almoſt Chriſtians?
Firſt, It may be to anſwer the call of conſcience, though few men have grace, yet all men have conſcience.
Now do but obſerve, and you ſhall ſee how far conſcience may go in this work.
1. Conſcience owns a God, and that this God muſt be worſhipped and ſerved by the creature, Atheiſts in practice we have many, ſuch as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, Tit. 1.16. They profeſs they know God, but in works they deny him.
But Atheiſts in judgment none can be, Tully a Heathen could ſay, nulla gens tam barbara, &c.
Now their being ſuch a light in conſcience as to diſcover that their is a God, and that he muſt be Worſhipped; by the help of farther light, the light of the word, a man may be inabled to do much in the ways of God, and yet his heart without a dram of grace.
2. Know this, that natural conſcience is capable of great improvements from the means of grace; ſitting under the ordinances, may exceedingly heighten the indowments of Conſcience; though they do not ſanctifie conſcience, it may be much regulated; though it be not at all renewed, it may be inlightned; convinced, and yet never ſavingly converted and changed.
Ye read in Heb. 6.4. of ſome that were once inlightned, and taſted of the Heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy ghoſt. What work ſhall we call this? It could not be a ſaving work, a true change and converſion of ſtate, for notwithſtanding this inlightning, and taſting, and partaking, yet they are here ſaid to fall away, v. 6.
Luke 22.32.Deut. 33.27.Had it been a true work of grace, they could never have fallen away from that, a beleiver may fall, but he cannot fall away; he may fall foully, but he can never fall finally, for underneath are the everlaſting arms; his faith is eſtabliſhed in the ſtrength of that prayer of Chriſt, that our faith fail not, nay he tels us expreſly, that it is eternal life which he gives, from which we ſhall never periſh, John 10.28.
This work then here ſpoken of cannot be any ſaving work, becauſe it is not an abiding work, for they that are under it, are ſaid to fall away from it; but though it be not a ſaving work, yet it is a ſupernatural work, it is an improvement made by the word upon the conſciences of men through the power of the Spirit; and therefore they are ſaid to taſt the good word of God, and to be made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt, they have not the ſpirit abiding in them ſavingly, but ſtriving with them, and working upon them convincingly, to the awakening and ſetting conſcience on work. And conſcience thus ſtirred may carry a man very far in Religion, and in the duties of the Goſpel, and yet be but a natural conſcience.
A common work of the ſpirit may ſtead a man very much in the duties of Religion, though it muſt be a ſpecial work of the ſpirit that ſteads a man to ſalvation, a man may have the aſſiſting preſence of the ſpirit inabling him to preach and pray, and yet he may periſh for want of the renewing preſence of the ſpirit, inabling him to beleive, Judas had the former, and yet periſhed for want of the latter, he had the ſpirit aſſiſting him to caſt out devils, but yet he had not the ſpirit renewing him, for he was caſt out himſelf.
Thus a man may have an improved conſcience, and yet be a ſtranger to a renewed conſcience; and conſcience thus improved, may put a man very much upon duty.
I pray God none of us miſtake a conſcience thus improved by the word, for a conſcience renewed by the ſpirit, the miſtake is very eaſie, eſpecially when a life of duties is the fruit of it.
3. The conſcience of a natural man is ſubject to diſtreſs and trouble, though a natural conſcience is not ſanctified with grace, yet it is often troubled at ſin, trouble of conſcience is not incident to beleivers onelyonly, but ſometimes to unbeleivers alſo. A beleivers conſcience, is ſometimes troubled when his ſin is truely pardoned, and a natural mans conſcience is troubled for ſin, though it is never freed from ſin. God ſometimes ſets the word home upon the ſinners conſcience and applies the terrours of the law to it, and this fills the ſoul with fear and horrour, of death, and hell, now in this caſe the ſoul uſually betakes it ſelf to a life of duties, meerly to fence trouble out of conſcience.
2 Sam. 14.30, 31.When Abſalom ſets fire on Joabs corn fields, then he runs to him, though he refuſed before, ſo when God lets a ſpark of Hell (as it were) fall upon the ſinners conſcience in applying the terrours of the word, this drives the ſinner to a life of duties, which he never minded before; The ground of many a mans ingaging in Religion, is the trouble of his conſcience, and the end of his continuing in Religion is the quieting of conſcience; if conſcience would never check him, God ſhould never from him.
Natural conſcience hath a voice, and ſpeaks aloud many times in the ſinners ears, and telleth him, this ought not to be done, God muſt not be forgotten, the commands of God ought not to be ſlighted, living in ſin will be the ruine of the ſoul, and hence it is that a natural man runs to duties, and takes up a lifeleſs and graceleſs profeſſion that he may thereby ſilence conſcience.
As a man ſick in his ſtomack, what ever ſweet morſel he hath eaten, he brings up all; and although it was ſweet in the eating, yet it is bitter in the riſing.
So it fareth with the ſinner, when he is Sermon-ſick, or Conſcience-ſick, though his ſin was ſweet in the practice, yet the thought of it riſeth bitter upon the conſcience, and then his profeſſion of religion is the pill he rouleth about in his mouth, to take away the bitterneſs of-ſins taſt.
4. Natural conſcience inlightned by the word may diſcover to a man much of the miſery of a natural ſtate, though not effectually to bring him out of it, yet ſo as to make him reſtleſs and weary in it; it may ſhew a ſinner his nakedneſs, and hereupon the ſoul runneth to a life of duties, thinking hereby to ſtead the miſery of his caſe, and to make a covering for his nakedneſs. It is ſaid Gen. 3.7. That when Adam and Eve ſaw they were naked, they ſewed Fig leaves together and made themſelvelves a covering. So when once the ſinner ſeeth his nakedneſs and vileneſs by reaſon of ſin, whereas he ſhould run to Chriſt, and cloſe with him, and beg his righteouſneſs for a covering, that the ſhame of his nakedneſs do not appear, Rev. 3.18. he rather runneth to a life of duties and performances, and thus maketh himſelf a covering wlth the fig-leaves of a profeſſion without Chriſt truely imbraced, and conſcience at all renewed.
Naural man would fain be his own Saviour, and ſupoſeth a change of ſtate to be a thing within his own power, and that the true work of grace lieth in leaving off the practiſe of fin, and taking up a life of duties, and therefore upon this principle doth many a graceleſs profeſſour outſtrip a ſound beleiver, for he reſteth in his own performances, and hopeth theſe will commend him to God.
If a natural conſcience may go thus far, then what difference is there between this natural conſcience in Hypocrites and ſinners, and a renewed conſcience in beleivers? or how may I know whether the workings of my conſcience be the workings of nature onelyonly, or elſe of grace wrought in it.
I grant that it is difficult to diſtinguiſh between the one and the other, and the difficulty hath a twofold riſe.
1. It ariſeth from that Hypocriſie that is in the beſt Saints, the weakeſt beleiver is no Hypocrite, but yet there is ſome Hypocriſie in the strongeſt beleiver; where there is moſt grace, there is ſome ſin, and where there is moſt ſincerity, yet there is ſome Hypocriſie.
Now it is very incident to a tender conſcience, to miſgive and miſtruſt its ſtate, upon the fight of any ſin; when he ſees Hypocriſie break out in any duty or performance, then he complaines ſurely my aims are not ſincere, my conſcience is not renewed, it is but natural conſcience inlightened, not by grace purged and changed.
2. It ariſeth from that reſemblance there is between grace and Hypocriſie, for Hypocriſie is a reſemblance of grace Pigmalion m…ae an image ſo lively, ib it hedeceived himſelf, and taking the Victure for a perſon fell in love with the Picture.without ſubſtance, the likeneſs of grace, without the life of grace. There is no grace but a Hypocrite may have ſomewhat like it, and there is no duty done by a Chriſtian, but an Hypocrite may outſtrip him in it. Now when one that hath not true grace ſhall go farther then one that hath, this may well make the beleiver queſtion whether his grace be true or not; or whether the workings of his conſcience, be not the workings of nature onelyonly rather then of grace wrought in it.
But to anſwer the Queſtion, you may make a judgement of this in theſe ſeven particulars.
1. If a natural mans conſcience, putteth him upon duty, he doth uſually bound himſelf in the Work of God: his duties are limited, his obedience is a limited obedience, he doth one duty and neglecteth another, he picketh and chuſeth among the Commands of God, obeyeth one and ſlighteth another. Thus much is enough, what need any more, if I do thus and thus, I ſhall go to Heaven at laſt.
Pſ. 119.20But now where Conſcience is renewed by grace, there it is otherwiſe; Though there may be many weakneſſes which accompanie its duties, yet that ſoul never bounds it ſelf in working after God, it never loves God ſo much but ſtill it would love him more, nor ſeeks him ſo much, but ſtill it would ſeek him more, nor doth it ſerve God ſo well at any time, but ſtill it makes conſcience of ſerving him better. A renewed conſcience is a ſpring of univerſal obedience, Pſal. 119.128. for it ſeeth an infinite excellency, and goodneſs, and holineſs in God, and therefore would fain have its ſervice riſe up towards ſome proportionableneſs to the object; a God of infinite excellency and goodneſs, ſhould have infinite love ſaith Conſcience, a holy God ſhould have ſervice from a holy heart ſaith conſcience.
Now then, If I ſet bounds to my love to God, or to my ſervice to God, if I limit my ſelf in my obedience to the holy God, love one command and ſlight another, obey in one point, and yet lie croſs in another, then is all I do but the working of a natural conſcience: But on the other hand, if I love the Lord with my whole heart, and whole ſoul, and ſerve him with all my might, Mat. 22.37. Mark 17.33.and ſtrength, If I eſteem all Gods precepts concerning all things to be right, and have reſpect to all the Commands, then is my love and ſervice from a renewed conſcience.
2. If a natural mans conſcience check or accuſe for ſin, then he ſeeketh to ſtep the mouth of it, but not to ſatiſfie it, moſt of the natural mans duties, are to ſtill and ſtifle conſcience.
But now the beleiver chuſeth rather to let conſcience cry, then to ſtop the mouth of it, until he can do it upon good terms, until he can fetch in ſatisfaction to it, from the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, by freſh acts of faith, apprehended and applied.
The natural man ſeeketh to ſtill the noiſe of conſcience, rather then to remove the guilt, the beleiver ſeeketh the removal of guilt, by the application of Chriſts blood, and then conſcience is quiet of it ſelf. As a fooliſh man, having a Mote fallen into his eye, and making it water, he wipeth away the water, and labours to keep it dry, but never ſearcheth his eye to get out the Mote; but a wiſe man mindeth not ſo much the wiping as the ſearching his eye, ſome-what is got in, and that cauſeth the watering, and therefore the cauſe muſt be removed.
Now then if when conſcience accuſeth for ſin, I take up a life of duties, a forme of godlineſs to ſtop the mouth of Conſcience, and if hereupon conſcience be ſtill and quiet, then is this but a natural conſcience; but if when conſcience checks, it will not be ſatisfied with any thing but the blood of Chriſt, and therefore I uſe duties to bring me to Chriſt, and if I beg the ſprinckling of his blood upon conſcience, and labour not ſo much to ſtop the mouth of it, as to remove guilt from it, then is this a renewed conſcience.
3. There is no natural man let him go never ſo far, let him do never ſo much in matters of Religion, but still he hath his Dalilah, his boſome luſt. Judas went far,Ioh. 12.6. but he carried his covetouſneſs along with him, Herod went far,Mar. 6.20 he did many things under the force of Johns Miniſtry, but yet there was one thing he did not, he did not put away his Brothers Wife, v. 17, 18.his Herodias lay in his boſome ſtill. Nay commonly all the natural mans duties are to hide ſome ſin, his profeſſion is onelyonly made uſe of for a coverſhame.
Pſa. 66.18Pſa. 119.128.But now the renewed conſcience, hateth all ſin, as David did, I hate every falſe way; he regardeth no iniquity in his heart, he uſeth duties, not to cover ſin, but to help work down, and work out ſin.
Ro. 2.23.Now then, if I profeſs Religion, if I make mention of the Name of the Lord, and make my boaſt of the law, and yet through breaking the law, diſhonour God, if I live in the love of any ſin, and make uſe of my profeſſion to cover it, then am I an Hypocrite, and my duties flow but from a natural conſcience, but on the other hand, if I name the name of the Lord Jeſus, and withal depart from inquity, if I uſe duties, not to cover,2 Tim. 2.19. but to diſcover and mortifie ſin, then am I upright before God, and my duties flow from a renewed conſcience.
4. A natural man pride's himſelf in his duties, if he be much in duty, then he is much lifted up under duty; ſo did the Phariſee, Luk. 18.Luke 18.11, 12. God I thank thee that I am not as other men are, and why? where lay the difference? why I faſt twice in the week, I give Tithes of all, &c.
2 Tim 4, 2But now take a gracious heart, a renewed conſcience, and when his duties are at higheſt, then is his heart at loweſt; Thus it was with the Apoſtle Paul, he was much in ſervice, in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, Preaching up the Lord Jeſus with all boldneſs and earneſtneſs, and yet very humble in a ſenſe of his own unworthineſs under all, I am not worthy to be called an Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 15.9. To me who am leſs then the leaſt of all Saints, is this grace given that I ſhould preach among the Gentiles, the unſearchable riches of Chriſt Epheſ. 3.8. and again in the 1 Tim. 1.15. of ſinners I am cheif: thus a beleiver when he is higheſt in duties, then is he loweſt in humility; duty puffeth up the Hypocrite, but a beleiver comes away humbled; and why? becauſe the Hypocrite hath had no viſions of God, he hath ſeen onelyonly his own gifts and parts, and this exalteth him, but the beleiver hath ſeen God, and injoyed communion with God, and this humbleth him: communion with God, though it be very refreſhing, yet it is alſo very abaſing and humbling to the creature, Jerome obſerveth on Zephaniah, 1 Chap. 1 v. where it is ſaid that uſhi was the ſon of Geduliah, the ſon of Amariah, That Amariah ſignifieth the Word of the Lord, Gedaliah ſignifieth the greatneſs of the Lord, and Cuſhi is interpreted humility, or my Ethiopian.
So that, ſaith he, from the Word of the Lord cometh a ſight of the greatneſs of the Lord, and from a ſight of the greatneſs of the Lord, cometh Humility.
Now then if I pride my ſelf in any duty, and am puffed up under my performances, then have I not ſeen nor met with God in any duty.
But on the other hand, if when my gifts are at higheſt, my heart is at loweſt, if when my ſpirit is moſt raiſed, my heart is then moſt humbled, if in the middeſt of all my ſervices I can maintain a ſence of mine own unworthineſs, if Cuſhi be the Son of Gedaliah, then have I ſeen and had communion with God in duty, and my performances are from a renewed conſcience.
5. Look what that is to which the heart doth ſecretly render the glory of a duty, and that is the principle of the duty, in Habakkuk 1.16. ye read of them that Sacrifice to their net, and burn incenſe to their drag, where the glory of an action is rendered to a mans ſelf, the principle of that action is ſelf: all Rivers run into the Sea, Eccl. 1.7.that is an argument they came from the Sea, ſo when all a mans duties, terminate in ſelf, then is ſelf the principle of all.
Now all the natural mans d…s run into himſelf, he was never by a through work of grace, truely caſt out of himſelf, and brought to deny himſelf, and therefore he can riſe no higher then himſelf in all he doth, he was never brought to be poor in ſpirit, and ſo to live upon another, to be carryed out of all duties to Jeſus Chriſt.
Pſ. 115.1.But the beleiver giveth the glory of all his ſervices to God, what ever ſtrength or life there is in duty, God hath all the glory, for he is by grace outed of himſelf, and therefore ſeeth no excellency or worthineſs in ſelf.
Gal. 2.20.I laboured more abundantly then they all, ſaith the Apoſtle, but to whom doth he aſcribe the glory of this? to ſelf? no, yet not I, ſaith he, but the grace of God which was with me, 1 Cor. 15.10. when ever the grace of Chriſt is wrought in the heart as a principle of duty, you ſhall find the ſoul when it is moſt carried out, with a yet not I in the mouth of it, I live, yet not I, I laboured more abundantly then all, yet not I, ſelf is diſclamed, and Chriſt moſt advanced when it is from grace that the heart is quickned; the twenty-four Flders caſt their crowns at Chriſts feet, Rev. 4.10.
There are two things very hard, one is to take the ſhame of our ſins to our ſelves, the other is, to give the glory of our ſervices to Chriſt.
Gal. 6.8.Now then, if I ſacrifice to my own net, if I aim at my own credit or profit, and give the glory of all I do to ſelf, then do I ſow to the fleſh, and was never yet caſt out of ſelf, but act onelyonly from a natural conſcience; but if I give the glory of all my ſtrength and life in duty onelyonly to God, if I magnifie grace in all, and can truely ſay in all I do, yet not I, then am I truely caſt out of ſelf, and do what I do with a renewed conſcience.
6. Though a natural conſcience may put a man much upon ſervice, yet it never preſſeth to the attainment of holineſs, ſo that he carrieth an unſanctified heart under all. How long was Judas a profeſſor, and yet not one dram of grace that he had got, the fooliſh Virgins (you know) taok their lamps, but took no oyle in their veſſels, Mat. 20 3. that is, they looked more after a profeſſion then after ſanctification.
But now when a renewed conſcience putteth a man upon duty, it is ſucceſſed with the growth of holineſs; as grace helpeth to the doing of duty, ſo duty helpeth to the growing of grace, a beleiver is the more holy and the more heavenly by his being much in duties.
Now then if I am much in a life of duties, and yet a ſtranger to a life of holineſs, if I maintain a high profeſſion, and yet have not a true work of ſanctification, if (like children in the Rickets) I grow big in the head, but weak in the feet, then have I gifts and parts but no grace: and though I am much in ſervice, yet have I but a natural conſcience; but on the other hand, if the holineſs of my converſation carrieth a proportion to my profeſſion, if I am not a hearer of the word onelyonly, but a doer of it, if grace groweth in ſeaſons of dutie, then do I act in the things of God from a renewed 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. 1.23This 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 onelyonly 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 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.