The Danger of Being Almost a Christian, Title page – Dedication
THE DANGER OF BEING ALMOST a Chriſtian.
SHEWING,
1. How far men may go without Grace.
2. Why ſome men go ſo far.
3. Why they go no farther.
4. The dangerous eſtate of ſuch Perſons.
By John Chiſhull, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
LONDON: Printed by A. Neile, for Francis Eglesfield, and are to be ſold at the Marygold in Pauls Church-yard. 1657.
To the Right VVorſhipfull Peter Atkins, Mayor, John Blundel Eſq with the reſt of the Burgeſſes, Aſſiſtants, and Inhabitants of Tiverton.
Beloved in the Lord,
WHat reaſon You (above all others) have to read and conſider the things which I preſent to your view, the Introduction to, and Application of the truth laid before you will tell. I trust many of you are convinced that I carry you upon my heart, and that my deſign in this undertaking is only to engage your hearts more fully to God. Ʋpon this account I am confident of your complyance with it.
I have reckoned it amongst my choiceſt mercies, that the Lord hath owned me in ſome meaſure amongst you, and hath made you to feel as wel as hear what I have ſpoken. Yet in the midst of my rejoycing for ſome, I have had ſad thoughts of heart for others, for whom I have ſometimes had great hopes, and again as great feares; Since I have known any thing of Preaching, (and indeed it is little that I yet know of it) I have Preach'd very much by what I have ſeen and known of your tempers and Conditions, and I can ſay (through Mercy) that my labour hath not been altogether in vain. I bleſs God that I can think on ſome of you with delight; the entertainment which you have given to the Word, and the gracious …mpreſſions which you carry upon your ſpirits, …are my rejoycing before the Lord. Yet give me leave to minde you, that the number of Conververted ones is but ſmal in compariſon of thoſe Convinced ones which I have obſerved amongst you. Many have received the Word with trembling, others with joy; yet after ſuch ſh… kings and ſtrong working of heart (which they could not conceal, have either grown cold again; or elſe have contented themſelves with a lukewarm profeſſion; This I can truly ſay hath abated much of my former comfort; and ſo ſtrong have the impreſſions of theſe things been upon my ſpirit, that many ſad thoughts have riſen in me, that ſurely my labour is neer at an end in that place, and the Lord will call me off either by death (as he threatned of late) or ſome other way. Ʋpon this conſideration I have been willing to liſten to thoſe who deſired that theſe few Sermons might be made publick, that by this means th…y might lie before you, either to quicken you, or to accuſe you; that when you ſhall neither hear, nor ſee me, you may ſee in them how my heart ſtood affected towards you: and poſſibly the view of theſe lines may awaken the convictions which ſome of you have buried, the perſwaſions which in ſome are decayed, and the reſolutions which ſome of you have taken up for God, but not followed: Oh when this Book fals into any ſuch hands, (as doubtleſs ſuch it will meet withall) let me intreat thoſe herein concerned to ſuffer theſe two thoughts to dwel a little upon their hearts:
First, that their hearing as wel as my preaching must come to judgement.
Secondly, that Convictions ſlighted, Perſwaſions not improved, Promiſes and purpoſes broken, will be the worst companions that you can carry to Hel with you; yet this I am aſſured of, that many of you cannot periſh but under the weight of many of theſe.
I have obſerved two ways, in which eſpecially the Devil couzens convinced ſouls.
First, in the Time: he tels them it is too ſoon to be ſerio us in youth, another time will ſerve; thus many periſh under delaies. To prevent this evil, I preſented you formerly with a ſmal Treatiſe *The Young Mans Memento.which I hope hath ſatisfied you ſully of the folly and danger of delaying.
Secondly, he labours to deceive in the meaſure of the change that is wrought; if he ſees that they will do ſomething, yea and that the ſoul is agreed upon the time, that it muſt be Now while it is called to day, then he ſtrives to limit them. Firſt, with Negatives. He tels them they are not as they were, and therefore all is wel. He tels them they are changed; and it may be true, though they are not made New. If they be civil or moral that were prophane and unrighteous, this he perſwades them is very much: but if he ſuffer them to put on a form of Religion, though it reach not the heart; then he aſſures them that their Reformation is ful in weight and meaſure heaped up, preſſed down, and running over; when all this time they are not come to the loweſt form of thoſe that are Chriſtians indeed. Now, knowing that ſome of you are reſolved to do ſomething, and fearing that you ſhould be deceived, and ſo do nothing to the purpoſe. I have laid theſe things before you, that you might be the better able to judge of the meaſure of your perſwaſions, profeſſions, and performances.
And ſince I have undertaken to ſpeak to all, being affectionately willing to be ſerviceable to you all. Let me add a word to you that refuſe to attend the publick Ministry in that place, to hear what hath been there delivered; yet poſſibly you will vouchſafe a private peruſal of theſe truths: If this little Tract comes into your hands, I beſeech you enquire ſeriouſly by it into the state of your ſouls; for I fear you have little cloſe convincing Preaching amongst You. O bethink your ſelves of former days, when you ſat under the Now deſpiſed Ministry in Tiverton, which ſome of you called the Ministry of Christ, and your ſelves the ſeals of it; You ſeemed then to have ſome ſenſe of the Quickneſs nnd Power of the Word; but how is it now? Are thefe Times better then thoſe? To what conſiderable height are you growen in Chriſtianity ſince you turned your backs upon thoſe Opportunities you once counted precious? Ah let me tel you, though you have deſerted me, I cannot caſt you out of my thoughts, hopes, and Prayers, truſting that the Lord will bring back ſuch as have ſet their faces to ſeek him in truth, as he hath done fome already, in anſwer to Prayer. Yet you know that I have loſt nothing by your leaving of me, but the opportunities of being further ſerviceable to your ſouls; and this indeed to me is a great loſſe; for if I know any thing of my heart, it is this, that I value my life by the advantages that I have of being helpfull to poore ſouls in the great things of God.
It is an eaſie matter to draw up thoſe that have no grace to any form; and this were a poor low thing to make our interest. By this meanes it is as eaſie to ſtop young awakened ſouls before they come half way to Chriſtianity; it is my fear for many of you, that you are arrived no further then the forme; and my fear is as great that you will hinder others from going beyond it, by perſwading them into an opinion of themſelves, that they are Chriſtians, before they are, or know what it is to be ſuch.
If this may prevent any of you from miſcarrying any way, I ſhal heartily bleſſe the Lord, and rejoyce to be alſo a helper of your Faith.
Finally my friends of all ſorts, Lay what you have heard, or may hearread to the Word, & your hearts to both, and judg faithfully in this matter. Put it to the Queſtion whether you are Altogether Chriſtians or no, and reſolve to be ſuch, or to be nothing. Be in good earneſt with God, and cleave to him with ful purpoſe of heart. Oh fulfil my joy which you cannot more conſiderably further then by a candid acceptance, and conſcientious improvement of what I here tender to you. That it may be everyway for your good, you ſhall have with it the Prayers of
Your willing Servant, in the work of the Lord, Jo. Chiſhull. London, Jan. 16. 1656.
ACTS 26.28.
Almoſt thou perſwadeſt me to be a Chriſtian.