The Danger of Being Almost a Christian, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The Introduction.
IT is not uſual with me to make Apologies for, or Introductions to my Diſcourſes: but at this time I conceive it is convenient, if not neceſſary to ſpeak ſomething of this nature. Though it be ſufficient warrant for me to pitch upon this portion which I have choſen, becauſe it is the word of the Lord, and the ſame conſideration is weighty to enjoyn your beſt attention; yet there is ſomething more, which hath ſwayed with me to take theſe words into my ſerious thoughts, and to preſent the reſult of them to you, which I hope when you have weighed, they wil ſeem as additional arguments to awaken your ſpirits, and you wil account your ſelves particularly engaged to hear what I am ſo deeply ingaged to ſpeak. I had choſen another ſubject to treat upon, which I conceived might ſuit wel with that which I ſo lately finiſhed; but my reſolutions to proſecute that were changed by ſome impreſſions which the Lord made upon me in my late ſickneſs.
That I was viſited with weakneſs, is known to you all; but how great it was, and how near to the grave it brought me, is known but to few. But in this, (which was the ſoareſt which I ever experienc'd,) yea in the very height and prevalency of it when my friends did many of them look upon me as under a ſentence of death, then was the Lord pleaſed
Firſt, to give me a particular aſſurance of my recovery, from that ſcripture, Pſ. 118.17. Thou ſhalt not die, but live and declare the works of the LORD.
Secondly, a particular knowledg of the time of my recovery, from Hoſ. 6.2. After two dayes I wil revive thee, in the third day I wil raiſe thee up, and thou ſhalt live in my ſight. All which I found exactly made good unto me to a day, according to the Word of the Lord, which was then ſet upon my ſpirit.
Thirdly, the Lord did not onelyonly aſſure me of my life, but did alſo appoint me out my work, without which I account my life of very ſmal value. At that time when I was under a ſtrong Fever, and other diſtempers which might very well be judged unfit companions for meditation; I ſay, being under the paines of my growing diſeaſe, my thoughts were then drawn ſtrongly out to conſider of the ſtate and condition of this place; and conſidering the people of it, I rankt them under three Heads.
Frſt, ſome that minded not God, nor Religion, and that ſat unſhaken under the VVord.
Secondly, ſome that I hope have received it, and that do ſincerely deſire to follow it.
Thirdly, ſuch as halt betwixt two opinions, that hang betwixt God and the world, that are wrought upon by the Word, and are under ſtrong convictions, and workings of ſpirit, but yet are not brought fully to cloſe with Chriſt; theſe are I am perſwaded not a few in this place. The ſerious conſideration of theſe did moſt of all affect my ſoul with pitty, and that pitty wrought in me ſtrong and earneſt deſire. It grieved me to ſee ſo many ſouls like Laodicea, Rev. 3.15. Lukewarm, or like Ephraim, hal-fbaked, Hoſ. 7.8. it did not a little trouble my ſpirit to ſee ſo many perſons carry their convictions about them, as priſoners dragg their chains after them: I am perſwaded if every perſon that hath been convine'd under the word in this place, and that hath had ſome kinde of perſwaſions to come in to Chriſt, and yet ſtands it out, had but a chain about his Legg, we ſhould hear a fearful ratling of iron when the Congregation moves. Thus was my ſoul grieved for many of you; but my affections did not ſpend themſelves in pittying, but awakened my deſires, and I then caſt about me how I might be ſerviceable to you, with that little inch of time that the Lord ſhould give me, even to you that ſeem at ſome times not to be far from the kingdom of God, and yet if you go no farther, are never like to come there.
While my thoughts were thus working, it pleaſed the Lord to ſet this portion of Scripture which I have read unto you upon my ſpirit, in which I ſaw your condition exactly preſented in Agrippa. But this word it ſelf was not barely brought home to me, but the Lord gave in then to my thoughts thoſe things which I have to deliver to you, ſo that I may ſafely ſay, that hee put the word into my mouth; for what I have now to deliver, both for the doctrine, and all the particulars, relating to explain and confirm it, were penn'd when I was unable to govern a pen; they were framed in my greateſt weakneſs, & taken from my mouth by a Friend that came to viſit me.
Theſe things I mention to you, that you may be perſwaded▪
Firſt, to paſſe by any thing of weakneſs in this diſcourſe, knowing it was compoſed in the midſt of weakneſs, and that I aim not to commend my ſelf to you, but to preſent your conditions before you, and that with all manner of plaineſs.
Secondly, that if you meet with any thing uſeful & ſeaſonable, you would g…ve the glory to God; if the Word me…t with any of your ſouls, ſay, the Lord hath met with me this day; if it hit as right as Davids ſtone did, and ſtick in your foreheads, know I threw it as he did, not by skil, but by Faith; it is the Lord that guided my hand. If any ſay, Can all that which is delivered in ſeveral ſermons be the product of a few houres meditation? I anſwer, that I can ſay without faining what Jacob offered to excuſe his haſty dinner for his Father, Gen. 27 20. The Lord brought it unto my h…nd.
Thirdly, to ſhew you what ſpecial and peculiar reaſon ſome of you have to attend diligently to what ſhall be ſpoken ô you cannot but ſee a finger in the margent bidding you obſerve, and the hand of God pointing at ſome of you; for though he ſpeaks in every word, yet more eſpecially in ſuch as he ſends by ſpecial meſſengers, or directs to us by ſingular and remarkable providences. Now there are two things which ſhould ſtir you up to liſten to this word, as not being of common and ordinary conſideration.
Firſt, that one is raiſed from the dead to ſpeak to you.
Secondly, that this word was put into his mouth, eſpecially for your ſakes, ſo that he can ſay, that this work which he is about this day, is part of his great errand, for which the Lord ſent him back again to this place.
Thirdly, that you may know that I have you upon my heart in all conditions, in ſickneſſe as wel as in health, in life and in death. But if none of theſe things move you, know that God will raiſe up Nineveh in judgement againſt you, who repented at his word, whom God had brought from the grave. Nay the rich man in hell will come againſt you, who perſwaded himſelf that his brethren would repent if one from the dead were ſent unto them; and that which is worſe, the Lord who hath now raiſed me up for you, will raiſe me up to condemn you; yea this word which I now preach to you, ſhall be terrible, and you ſhal not be able to ſtand before it in the day of the Lord.
This is ſufficient (and to ſome may appear more then enough) to my preſent occaſion of handling the words. Now to the occaſion of the words themſelves as they lie in the Text.
The riſe of theſe words is evident to be from Paul his diſcourſe, of which we have a full account in this Chapter.
The ſubſtance of his ſpeech was to defend himſelf againſt the accuſations of the Jews before Agrippa, Feſtus, the Governor, and Bernice, with others that ſate as Judges betwixt him and the Jews. The ſpeech hath three principal Heads.
Firſt, an account of his life, and eſpecially of his zeal againſt the chriſtians before his converſion, from v. 4. to 13.
Secondly, his wonderful converſion, ver. 13.18.
Thirdly, his practice and profeſſion afterwards, v. 19.23.
We have next conſiderable the iſſue of his ſpeech, it wrought variouſly upon his Judges.
Firſt, Feſtus deemed him mad, yet he thought his madneſs was not common; he judged it to be alearned madneſs; not being able to entertaine the Doctrines which he preacht of the Reſurrection, nor to credit the ſtory which Paul told of his converſion, he thought that theſe were but clouds and fancies of his brain which was overwrought.
Secondly, Agrippa is of another mind and receives more candidely, though he do not digeſt fully what Paul had ſaid; he ſeems to be ſo far convict of the truth, that he is upon the turning point, ready to come over to Paul.
Thirdly, the whole Councel took ſuch impreſſions from his diſcourſe, that they all agree that Paul is innocent, verſ. 30, 31.
Then.
This ſhews us the coherence of theſe words with the former, and it refers us either to Pauls ſpeech, or to Feſtus; if we conſider it as relating to the firſt, then it ſhews us the ground of Agrippa's perſwaſion.
If to the latter, then it helps to heighten his perſwaſion, and to ſhew us how ſtrong it was and hot at the preſent. Then, (viz.) when Agrippa had conſidered of what Paul had ſpoken, either in his firſt ſpeech which was to all the Council, although directed more eſpecially to him, ver. 2▪ Now if we conſider theſe perſwaſions in Agrippa to ariſe from Pauls general ſpeech, it will according to the parts of it afford us theſe Obſervations: Firſt, from the relation of Pauls former courſe of life.
1. Obſervation. That when the Lord makes great and viſible changes upon open and violent enemies of his ways, he cauſes much of conviction to fall upon the ſpirits of conſidering perſons; for they which conſult with reaſon, muſt needs conclude that there muſt be ſome remarkable thing, ſomething of weight that muſt cauſe ſuch a change.
Obſerv. 2. The diſcovering of the way the change is wrought in, is as uſefull and convincing as the change it ſelf. Paul thought it no idle ſtory to tell them how God brought him over, as well as that he had done it. This may ſerve to juſtifie the practices of thoſe who deſire to know the way of Gods working upon ſouls in the bringing them over to Chriſt, knowing how demonſtrative this is of the work of grace, beyond a bare profeſſing that I do believe, or repent.
Obſ. 3. From the account that Paul gives of his after-practice, that boldneſſe in living up to the truths we are convinc'd of, does make much for the convincing of ſuch as yet have not received the truth. This argued that there vvas ſomething of re…lity in that relation which he made of his change, and the manner, which at firſt hearing might ſeem ridiculous, and incredible. They who conſidered how Paul followed the truth in practiſe, and with what hazard he profeſt it, might conceive that his converſion was no dream.
Again, vve may refer theſe words to Pauls particular ſpeech mentioned v. 26, 27. directed in part to Feſtus, and in part to Agrippa, in which he takes the advantage of defending himſelf both againſt his general charge by the Jews, and the particular imputation put upon him by Feſtus, v. 24. and this he does by taking hold of two things, which did much conduce to his preſent purpoſe.
The firſt was Agrippa's general knowledge of cuſtomes, and memorable ſtorice, and eſpecially of the truth of the matter of fact related, and queſtioned, yea cenſured by Feſtus.
Secondly, Agrippa's general aſſent unto the things contained in the ſcriptures, v. 27. Theſe things being hand ſomly couched in a wiſe and inſinuating appeal, draw out this profeſſion from him, Then ſaid Agrippa unto Paul, Almoſt thou perſwadeſt me to be a Chriſtian.
From hence obſerve;
Obſ. 1. It is a great advantage for a Miniſter, when the people he is to deal withal have ſome principles laid beforehand for him to faſten his word unto. This was the advantage that Paul had upon Agrippa, more then upon the reſt of his Judges, and therefore he applies himſelf moſt to him, and with good ſucceſs.
Obſ. 2. There muſt be much wiſdome and prudence mixt with the diſpenſing of the Goſpel, to know vvhen, and how, and to vvhom to ſpeak, and to eſpie out every little thing that might further or facilitate our vvork; this vvas the craft which Paul mentions, 2 Cor. 12.16. Being crafty I caught you with guile. He ſaw Agrippa vvas the fitteſt perſon to work upon, and he eſpied what vvas in him to lay hold of, therefore he ſixes moſt upon this mark.
Obſ. 3. A word of commendation and encouragement ſometimes given to the hearer, gains much reſpect to the truth it ſelf. Thus we finde that applauſe which Paul gave to Agrippa, he returns to the truth which he profeſt, and declares himſelf almoſt overcome with the Majeſty and ſplendor of it, which ſhined ſo gloriouſly in the Apoſtles Narrative. Theſe things the connexion of the Text with its dependance upon Pauls ſpeech affords us. We may conſider it alſo as relating ſomething to Feſtus his cenſure upon Pauls diſcourſe. Then ſaid Agrippa, (viz.) when Feſtus had but now calumniated the truth which was held forth, and had judged Pauls Doctrine and Relation to be but a learned madneſs, then Agrippa, ſtands up to wipe off the reproach which he caſt upon the truth. If we conſider it with theſe circumſtances of the time and place, when the Goſpel had been cenſured ſo lately by a potent man, and a ruler, and in the preſence of the Jews who were the Apoſtles accuſers, and ſtrong enemies of the word he had delivered: Then and there, for Agrippa to make ſuch a Declaration as this in favour of the truth, was much; conſidering it thus, we may obſerve,
Obſervation. Firſt, the Lord doth oftentimes provide ſome to ſtand up for the truth and the Profeſſors of it in greateſt ſtraits, who yet never receive it themſelves.
Secondly, we may here ſee what great convictions do fall upon the ſpirits of ſome men, who yet are never ſavingly wrought upon. It muſt needs be conceived, that the impreſſions were ſtrong upon Agrippa's ſpirit, that they extorted from him ſuch an open profeſſion as this is, at ſuch a time and in ſuch a place. But this truth will come more fully under our conſideration from the words themſelves; only this circumſtance may give ſome light to that which lies ſo open in the Text it ſelf.