The Danger of Being Almost a Christian, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. The Doctrine more particularly explained.
THat this may be the better underſtood I ſhall make enquiry into theſe two things.
Firſt, what kind of perſwaſions men may have, which yet are not gracious.
Secondly, from whence theſe do ariſe; and in this I ſhal conſider two things.
Firſt, whence it is that they extend ſo far.
Secondly, why they reach no farther.
For the firſt, what kind of perſwaſions theſe are, which yet prove not effectual to the bringing men over to Chriſt, it is neceſſary to ſhew you firſt what Perſwaſion is: a perſwaſion is a morral bending of the judgement or will to truth, or goodneſſe, which are their proper objects, whether they be real or apparent; it is ſometimes taken for the inclining of the judgement, the bringing of any one to reſt in what we ſay; ſo it ſignifies as much as conviction of a truth; and if this be very ful and clear, then it imports as much as aſſurance; ſo it is taken, Rom. 8.38. I am perſwaded, that is I am aſſured, that nothing ſhal be able to ſeparate us from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. I do not heſitate or doubt at all about this: thus it reſpects the underſtanding and judgement.
Secondly, it is taken (and that moſt commonly) for the working over the Will to ſome duty or deſigne, either good in it ſelf, or made ſo to appear; thus it is uſed, Acts 13.43. and chap. 18.13. and ſo in this place▪ This perſwaſion reſted in the Will, and had for its end, Action, following of Chriſt.
In the firſt ſenſe Man may be ſaid to perſwade; the underſtanding and judgement lie more open and naked, and one mans reaſon does give light to anothers.
But in the ſecond (if we take it in reference to the chief good) it is Gods prerogative only to perſwade; he only can penetrate the Will, and turn it to its proper object, Pſ. 110.3. In the day of thy power thy people ſhal be willing. Therefore Noah praying for, or propheſying of Japhets condition, ſays thus, Gen. 9.27. The Lord perſwade Japhet, and he ſhal dwel in the tents of Shem: we read it ordinarily, The Lord enlarge Japhet, but it may be as wel rendered, perſwade him. The word is Japht, of Patach, aperuit, it ſignifies properly to open a thing, and Metaphorically to perſwade, becauſe the heart muſt be opened in perſwading. Now when Noah prays that the Gentiles which came of Japhet ſhould be brought into the Church, which was to be ſetled in the Family of Shem, he prays that God would open their hearts, and effectually perſwade them, for he was onelyonly ſufficient… in this matter.
But to come nearer to the buſineſſe in hand, vve are to conſider what kind of perſwaſions unregenerate men may have; if we look to the firſt kind for thoſe which reſpect the underſtanding and judgement, they may go very far, and ſo far, that they may ſeem not only almoſt, but altogether Chriſtians. The judgement and reaſon may be for God, and may aſſent to every thing that is good, when the Will is for nothing that is good. As for example I ſhal enumerate ſome particulars.
Firſt, they may be perſwaded of the evil of their own vvayes; this the very Gentiles knew vvho had not the Law. God had left them ſo much light that aroſe and accuſed them when they did evil, Rom. 2.15. it ſtood up in the place of God, and cenſured their abominations; if thoſe who had no Law, had yet an accuſer; ſurely then much more thoſe who have both Law and Goſſpel cannot but have ſome ſecret intimations and checks with ſome gripings of conſcience when they break out into ſuch ſins vvhichwhich the light of nature, and the Word of the Lord do ſo palpably condemn, I am perſwaded that the Drunkard, Swearer, Lyer, Sabbath-breaker, the man that neglects Prayer, Reading, and Meditation, do not think theſe wayes of theirs are good; they vvalk up and down as ſelf-condemned perſons.
Secondly, they may ſee not onelyonly the evil of their vvayes, but alſo the danger of them; they have ſome glances and hints, yea and ſometimes foretaſts of the ſad end of theſe things. They are convinct of the inſeparable and juſt connexion that is betwixt ſin and miſery; they ſee that they are going down to the chambers of death, and that their ſteps take hold of hell, and yet this vvill not ſtop them, they vvill have their luſts how dear ſoever they pay for them hereafter. This is evident, Rom. 1.32. Who knowing the juſt judgement of God, that they who do ſuch things are worthy of death, not onelyonly do the ſame, but have pleaſure in them that do them. There are three things lie open to them.
Firſt, The judgement of God, that there is ſuch a judgement or ſentence pronounc'd againſt ſuch ſinners.
Secondly, that this ſentence vvas unto death.
Thirdly, that this vvas a juſt and righteous judgement, theſe things muſt needs carry vvith them very great convictions of the demerit of ſin, and the danger of the ſinner.
Thirdly, they may be perſwaded of the neceſſity of a change; this muſt needs ariſe from the two former: he that ſees the evil of his own wayes, together with the danger of them, muſt needs conclude that a change muſt paſſe upon him in order to happineſs; though no unregenerate man does know what that change is which he muſt ſuffer if he wil be ſaved; yet many of them know thus much, that they muſt be changed; they are convinct that ſomething is to be done for Heaven, though they are ignorant of the particulars. I have met with ſome that have confeſſed that they could not read or think of that paſſage of Chriſt, John 3.3. (Except a man be born again, he cannot inherit the kingdom of God,) but it would perplex their thoughts; thus there is (I am perſwaded) in many men a confuſed general notion of Regeneration, though they have not a diſtinct knowledge of it, and they are convinc'd it is a work which they have not yet experienc'd, without vvhichwhich they cannot be ſaved. I need not go out of the Congregation for the proof of this: I am confident this is the perſwaſion of many of you, who know you muſt be changed, if ſaved: the Lord grant you may not carry theſe convictions to hell.
Fourthly, they may be convinc'd of the equity of the wayes of God, and the reaſorableneſs of all his commands, yea and of his judgments. How many are there whoſe affections ſerve the devil, and their luſts? who vvil notwithſtanding conſent in their judgements to the vvayes of God; they wil grant vvhen they are urged to it, that there is nothing more equitable then that the creature ſhould be conformed to the vvil of the Creator, & that he that made us ſhould expect from us a ſubmiſſion to his commands, ſeeing vve depevd upon him, and vve ſhould improve and ſpend all that for him, which we receive from him. The very principles of Reaſon wil condemn the ſinner as a monſter, and the moſt irregular perſon in the vvorld, vvho would live without being accountable to God upon whom he depends; this is to blot out the notion of a creature out of his heart; for vvhat reaſonable being could expect this, unleſs he were of himſelf, and could ſubſiſt without any help from another? if you propoſe this to the reaſon of many men, they wil confeſs it is very equitable that the Lord who made us, and by vvhoſe patience and bounty we ſubſiſt, ſhould put the yoak upon us, and that it is no injuſtice nor exaction in him to require the ſtricteſt obedience in us, ſo that vvhen he conſide rany or all the ways which the Lord preſcribes unto us to walk towards him, though hee apprehend them as hard and unpleaſant thorough his weakneſs and corruption, yet when he doth but glance upon the ſoveraigne power of God over his creatures, and the dependance of the creatures upon him, he muſt needs ſay, that it is a reaſonable thing, and juſt to fear this God, and to ſubmitt to all that he commands. And as they are convinc'd of the equity and juſtneſs of all his commands to us; ſo they are from hence forced to ſee the juſtice of that ſentence, which ſhal be pronounced againſt all thoſe that deſpiſe and refuſe the yoke of the Lord, as I hinted before from that of Rom. 1.32. For what is more deeply rooted in nature then this Principle that the work ſhould praiſe the workman; and that the workman ſhould draw forth his own honour and glory from his own? and if theſe ſhall refuſe to ſerve the ends of their being, that then he ſhould ſubſ…ract all comfortable influences from them, and turne his hand againſt them for evill. Now if theſe thinges be ingrafted in nature, ſurely men who have many acceſſions of light to their naturall principles by the goſpel under which they live, will goe to hell with a conviction of the equitie of thoſe …hings which the Lord required of them and of the Iudgment which he hath paſt upon them.
V. They may be perſawded of the truth of the threatnings and promiſes; ſo that they may be able ſometimes to looke into heaven and hell through the truth of God in the one, and the other Thus Balaam ſaw the reality of thoſe promiſes which God had made to Iſrael, and he ſaw alſo the certainty of the fulfilling of all that God had ſpoken againſt the enemies thereof: thus the eyes of wicked men are ſometimes opened, eſpecially of temporary beleevers and ſuch as are almoſt chriſtians, that they are cleerly convinc'd that there will be a difference betwixt thoſe that fear the Lord, and thoſe that fear him not; they know it will goe ill with the wicked; but it will goe well with the godly; ſo that when the threats denounced againſt ſuch are opened, they tremble as Faelix did at the preaching of judgement to come, Acts 24.25, They feel ſomething of what is threatned already in their conſciences; the word is as hot as an oven to them, which ſcorches them; & convictions and terrors which from thence fall upon them are like ſtreams of fire breaking out of hell it ſelf; ſo that if we did but ſome times obſerve, and conſider the impreſſions that are made upon ſuch mens ſpirtis, it would put it out of doubt, whether there be a hell or not; and men vvould conclude that the dreadful things threatned in the Word of God are not ciphers, or things to be played vvithal, or the inventions of men, onelyonly to keep others in awe, as ſome Atheiſts have believed, but that they are truths whereof one tittle ſhal not fall to the ground unperformed; theſe things vvicked men know to be true here, and ſhal feel them true hereafter; yea theſe taſtes of the truth of the threatnings make oftentimes great viſible changes in them, and they do much to eſcape the judgement written; thus Herod did many things when he heard John Baptiſt; and the Jews being terrified with the ſharpneſſe of his Miniſtry, came to him confeſſing their ſins, Mat. 3.6. What ſays he to them, You generation of Vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? as if he had ſaid, Now that hell has flaſht in your faces, you come in a fit of terror, and you pretend to be ſorrowful for your ſins; but let me ſee ſuch things as wil evidence this in after-fruits. Beſide this, they are convinc'd of the truth of the promiſes of God made to his people. And when the terrors which brake in from the threatnings, has made ſome external change upon them, (miſtaking themſelves, and taking this which is wrought for a gracious change) they reckon themſelves among the regenerate; and reading the promiſes which are made to theſe, they confidently apply them to themſelves, and that not without abundance of joy. Thus did Herod, Mark 6.20. when Johns Doctrines had ſome impreſſions upon him, and theſe had made an alteration in his practiſes and ways, having reformed many things that were amiſs, now he hears John gladly, and he greedily catches at all the ſweet promiſes which John dropt at any time to ſuch as did obey the truth, ſaying in his heart Theſe are mine, and this made him hear with delight. Thus the ſtony ground received the word with joy, which muſt needs ariſe from ſome promiſes miſapplyed, and ſome good laid hold on, which did not belong to them, whereby they apprehended that their condition vvas much advanced; they rejoyced in the Heaven and happineſſe which the promiſes held forth to the Saints, (which they could not do unleſſe they had believed them) but they were unwilling to go thorow a believers hell to his Heaven; therefore in time of perſecution they fell away, hence it is that ſome are ſaid to have taſted of the powers of the world to come, Heb. 6.5. that is, they are convinc'd of the excellent priviledges of the Saints, both in this life, and eſpecially in that to come, as that they ſhall have communion with God the Father, Son, and Spirit, with Angels, and all the Saints. They may be perſwaded of the excellent ſtate of the Saints then in reſpect of the glory which ſhall be put upon their ſouls and bodies, their freedome f…om evil, and the acceſſion of all good things. Now though they have not a true taſte of theſe priviledges, and they know not what grace is, and the pleaſure of communion with God is, yet they being perſwaded that ſuch things are, having found a joy in their falſe hopes, and counterfeit graces which they have judged to be ſoretaſtes of Heaven, they have been ſorc'd to acknowledge that this falſe joy was yet better then all the pleaſures of their ſins, and hence they have been ſtrongly perſwaded of the truth of Gods promiſes made to his people, though they do not belong to them; this is the caſe of many men, who by the perſwaſions of the truth of the threats and promiſes, do not learn to eſcape the one, and to enjoy the other; and they ſay under theſe perſwaſions as he did, Luke 14.15. Bleſſed is he that ſhal eat bread in the kingdom of God, yet themſelves never come there.
VI. They may be perſwaded of the ſweetneſſe of Gods ways, and that thoſe who follow him have their pleaſure, yea more pleaſure then men can have in ſin; it is ſaid therefore they received the word with joy, Luke 8.13. and Iſaiah 58.2. They delighted in approaching unto God; hence it is ſaid, Heb. 6.5. That they taſted of the good word of God, they taſted of the goodneſſe of the word, and having taſted it, they accounted it good. Now we know that the taſte counts nothing good but that vvhichwhich is ſweet, though other ſenſes do count bitter things good, for they may be beautiful, and ſo good to the eye, and fragrant, ſo good to the ſmelling, but the palate commends ſweetneſs.
The carnal man may eſteem the ways of God as pleaſant.
Firſt, becauſe the bare performance of ſome duties, and reforming of ſome ſins, bath given much eaſe to conſcience, and hath procured much reſt from the troubles with which they were before overwhelmed: ſo that comparing their lives wth what they w…re before, they do account the much more pleaſant then when they lived in the height of ſin, becauſe they had then many gripings of conſcience which ſpoiled all their mirth; now though they have but a falſe peace, yet it is ſweeter then their former life.
Secondly, he accounts the ways of God ſweet, becauſe he hath not only a ceſſation from his former troubles, but he hath alſo many times a great preſumption of Gods love, and of the pardon of ſin, and of eternal life; ſo that he is as it were wrapt up out of the body, and perhaps in a fit out of the world, that he can ſet a low eſteem upon theſe alſo for a time.
Thirdly, he eſteems the ways of God ſweet, becauſe he finds now an increaſe of knowledge, and of gifts by exerciſing himſelf in them: ſo that the knowledge that he gets under the word, makes the word ſeem ſweet unto him, and he rejoyces in it, Joh. 5.35. Knowledge is pleaſant, even of that which we do not love; ſo that while this increaſeth the ſoul is delighted, Iſa. 58.2. they delighted in knowing, but not in doing, and as the word may feem ſweet for the knowledge which is gotten by it: ſo may prayer becauſe of gifts and parts increaſed by it; Thus he may be convinced of the ſweetneſs of Gods ways, ſo far that he is carried forth ſometimes to prefer the ways of God before the ways of men, and the people of God before the men of the world, as Balaam was, Numb. 24.5. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Iſrael! The Lord is pleaſed to ſhew carnal men that which they never enjoy; yea they feel ſometimes that which they ſoon forget. They have ſome glances of the happineſs which the Saints enjoy in communion with God, though they have none with him; yet ſome ſuch workings there are ſometimes upon hypocrites, that they finde ſomething which ſeems like it, and brings them in much comfort, which although it be not true and laſting, yet it ſerves to convince them that there is a ſweetneſſe in the ways of God, and they can ſay, Bleſſed is he that is in ſuch a caſe, yea, bleſſed is he whoſe God is the Lord: upon all theſe accounts they are in the main perſwaded there is a ſweetneſs in the ways of the Saints, though they do all the while miſtake it, and are ſtrangers to that comfort which the Saints find in duties, when they think they do enjoy them. The ways of God themſelves are not ſweet, but there is a ſweetneſs ſqueezed out of them which refreſhes them, ſo that upon the whole, they are ſatisfied in this, that it is a more comfortable life (all things conſidered) to live in the ſtrict performances of the godly, then in the looſe practiſes of the wicked; yet theſe men that come thus far, may not be altogether Chriſtians.
7ly. They may be perſwaded of things that are excellent, and may be able to judg betwixt things that differ, yea ſo far skill'd in the nature of things, that they may be able to inſtruct others in ſpiritual matters: they may have ſome inſight into all the ways of God, in which his people walk; ſo that they may be able to direct the weak, and quicken the dull, yea and to ſet things out with ſome eminency, Rom. 2.18. Knowing and approving the things that are more excellent, being inſtructed out of the Law. He may not onelyonly ſee or ſhew what is a duty, but the excellency of it, by which he has the advantage of exciting others to it; yea he …ay not only ſhew how much more excellent grace, and the exerciſe of it is then ſin, but if any grace more excellent, or duty then other, he may diſcern the reſpective and comparative excellency, that is in one more then in another, and yet have no true grace himſelf. Thus vve ſee men in their judgements may be for God in many things, yea in ſo many things, that it is hard to ſhew in what they may not be for him, and yet their wils and affections ſtand at a vaſt diſtance; thus you ſee the judgement may be ſwayed much, and in this reſpect a man may be almoſt a Chriſtian. I am now to enquire concerning the Wil, how far that may be inclined; and although every unregenerate perſon is defective here, and it is the will that lies behind in theſe imperfect perſwaſions; yet the Will is not without ſome motions: he wils ſome things, and does many things, as Herod and others did. Let us enquire a little concerning thoſe perſwaſions which reach the wil, yet imperfectly.