THE DANGER OF BEING ALMOST a Christian.  
SHOWING, 

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 S in Paul's Churchyard. 1657.   

To the Right Worshipful 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. Upon this account I am confident of your compliance 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 well as hear what I have spoken. Yet in the midst of my rejoicing for some, I have had sad thoughts of heart for others, for whom I have sometimes had great hopes, and again as great fears; Since I have known any thing of Preaching, (and indeed it is little that I yet know of it) I have Preached 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 rejoicing before the Lord. Yet give me leave to mind you, that the number of Conververted one's is but small in comparison of those Convinced one's which I have observed amongst you. Many have received the Word with trembling, others with joy; yet after such shakes 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 near at an end in that place, and the Lord will call me off either by death (as he threatened of late) or some other way. Upon this consideration I have been willing to listen to those who desired that these few Sermons might be made public, 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 persuasions which in some are decayed, and the resolutions which some of you have taken up for God, but not followed: Oh when this Book falls into any such hands, (as doubtless such it will meet withal) let me entreat those herein concerned to suffer these two thoughts to dwell a little upon their hearts:  
First, that their hearing as well as my preaching must come to judgement.  
Secondly, that Convictions slighted, Persuasions not improved, Promises and purposes broken, will be the worst companions that you can carry to Hell 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 cousins convinced souls.  
First, in the Time: he tells them it is too soon to be serio us in youth, another time will serve; thus many perish under delays. To prevent this evil, I presented you formerly with a small Treatise 
* The Young Man's 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, than he strives to limit them. First, with Negatives. He tells them they are not as they were, and therefore all is well. He tells them they are changed; and it may be true, though they are not made New. If they be civil or moral that were profane and unrighteous, this he persuades 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 full 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 persuasions, 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 public 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 inquire seriously by it into the state of your souls; for I fear you have little close convincing Preaching amongst You. O bethink yourselves of former days, when you sat under the Now despised Ministry in Tiverton, which some of you called the Ministry of Christ, and yourselves 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 thief Times better than those? To what considerable height are you grown in Christianity since you turned your backs upon those Opportunities you once counted precious? Ah let me tell 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 foam 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 loss; 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 helpful to poor souls in the great things of God.  
It is an easy 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 means it is as easy 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 than the form; and my fear is as great that you will hinder others from going beyond it, by persuading 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 shall hearty bless the Lord, and rejoice 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 judge 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 full purpose of heart. Oh fulfil my joy which you cannot more considerably further than 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 persuadest me to be a Christian.  

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 enjoin 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 will seem as additional arguments to awaken your spirits, and you will account yourselves particularly engaged to hear what I am so deeply engaged to speak. I had chosen another subject to treat upon, which I conceived might suit well 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 experienced,) 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, than 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 knowledge of the time of my recovery, from Hos. 6.2. After two days I will revive thee, in the third day I will 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 only assure me of my life, but did also appoint me out my work, without which I account my life of very small 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 pains 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 ranked them under three Heads.  
Frst, some that minded not God, nor Religion, and that sat unshaken under the Word.  
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 persuaded not a few in this place. The serious consideration of these did most of all affect my soul with pity, and that pity wrought in me strong and earnest desire. It grieved me to see so many souls like Laodicea, Rev. 3.15. Lukewarm, or like Ephraim, halfbaked, Hos. 7.8. it did not a little trouble my spirit to see so many persons carry their convictions about them, as prisoners drag their chains after them: I am persuaded if every person that hath been convineed under the word in this place, and that hath had some kind of persuasions to come in to Christ, and yet stands it out, had but a chain about his Leg, we should hear a fearful rattling of iron when the Congregation moves. Thus was my soul grieved for many of you; but my affections did not spend themselves in pitying, 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 itself 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 he 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 penned 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 persuaded▪  
First, to pass by any thing of weakness in this discourse, knowing it was composed in the midst of weakness, and that I aim not to commend myself 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 David's stone did, and stick in your foreheads, know I threw it as he did, not by skill, 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 hour's meditation? I answer, that I can say without feigning what Jacob offered to excuse his hasty dinner for his Father, Gen. 27 20. The Lord brought it unto my h●nd.  
Thirdly, to show you what special and peculiar reason some of you have to attend diligently to what shall be spoken o you cannot but see a finger in the margin 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 sickness as well 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 repent at his word, whom God had brought from the grave. Nay the rich man in hell will come against you, who persuaded 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 shall 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 sat 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 entertain the Doctrines which he preached 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 Council took such impressions from his discourse, that they all agree that Paul is innocent, vers. 30, 31.  
Then.  
This shows us the coherence of these words with the former, and it refers us either to Paul's speech, or to Festus; if we consider it as relating to the first, than it shows us the ground of Agrippa's persuasion.  
If to the latter, than it helps to heighten his persuasion, and to show 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 persuasions in Agrippa to arise from Paul's general speech, it will according to the parts of it afford us these Observations: First, from the relation of Paul's 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.  
Observe. 2. The discovering of the way the change is wrought in, is as useful and convincing as the change itself. 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 justify 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 boldness in living up to the truths we are convinced of, does make much for the convincing of such as yet have not received the truth. This argued that there was something of reality 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 practice, and with what hazard he professed it, might conceive that his conversion was no dream.  
Again, we may refer these words to Paul's 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 customs, 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 persuadest 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 than upon the rest of his Judges, and therefore he applies himself most to him, and with good success.  
Obs. 2. There must be much wisdom and prudence mixed with the dispensing of the Gospel, to know when, and how, and to whom to speak, and to espy out every little thing that might further or facilitate our work; this was the craft which Paul mentions, 2 Cor. 12.16. Being crafty I caught you with guile. He saw Agrippa was the fittest person to work upon, and he espied what was in him to lay hold of, therefore he six most upon this mark.  
Obs. 3. A word of commendation and encouragement sometimes given to the hearer, gains much respect to the truth itself. Thus we find that applause which Paul gave to Agrippa, he returns to the truth which he professed, and declares himself almost overcome with the Majesty and splendour of it, which shined so gloriously in the Apostles Narrative. These things the connexion of the Text with its dependence upon Paul's speech affords us. We may consider it also as relating something to Festus his censure upon Paul's discourse. Then said Agrippa, (viz.) when Festus had but now calumniated the truth which was held forth, and had judged Paul's Doctrine and Relation to be but a learned madness, than 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 itself.   

CHAP. II. The Doctrine propounded with the general proof of it.  
WE have then in the words three things.  
First, the impression which Paul's doctrine made upon Agrippa; it wrought by way of persuasion, Thou persuadest me.  
Secondly, The object of this persuasion, that is, embracing and professing the gospel of Christ.  
Thirdly, the measure of this persuasion, Almost.  
Almost, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in parvo, in a little, or something I should be a Christian with thee. Paul seems to take him in this sense, when he wishes that he were as he, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only in little, but in much; not only in some things, but in all.  
Some read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and they understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, thou hast persuaded me in a little time, or by a short speech to be a Christian. Some translators render it by Propemodum, and ours follow them, and it is very safe, almost or within a little thou persuadest me.  
Persuadest me, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies both suadere, & persuadere, either to use means to bring a man to our opinion, or practice by arguments and exhortations, or else to prevail upon the party, and bring him to what we desire.  
First, Sometimes it is taken for exhorting and reasoning only, Acts 18.4. He reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews, and the Greeks. This was Conantis potius quam efficientis; he endeavoured what he did not effect: but this could not be the sense of Agrippa here, for Paul had used no particular exhortation to him.  
Secondly, it signifies to prevail upon, and to bring'a person to rest in what we say, and so is taken here; for it must needs note the influence that Paul's discourse had upon Agrippa, insomuch that it brought him to assent unto what he said, and to profess himself even almost ready to join with him in professing the same things.  
To be a Christian, that is, to become a Disciple and follower of Jesus Christ. I shall present you with my thoughts of these words as they were presented to me in our Translation, and as we read them, they afford this Observation.  
Observe. That men may be almost Christians, and yet never true Christians; they may be almost such in respect of their persuasion who will never be such in respect of their practice and performance.  
In handling the Doctrinal Observation which I have propounded, I shall  
First, lay down something for the general proof of this.  
Secondly, I shall particularly open and illustrate it.  
Thirdly, I shall apply it:  
That this is a truth, is clear from many instances and examples in the Scripture. How far did Saul go, the first King of Israel, (I wish he had been the last example of this truth) he bid fairer for Heaven then many do that have strong confidence of it. He seemed to be good among good men, 1 Sam. 10.10. he prophesied among the Prophets, he seems to be good by way of singularity; he opposes sin when the whole stream ran against him, and seems exceeding tender of the sins of others, 1 Sam. 14.33, 34. yea he seems to be so zealous against sin that he would not spare his dear Jonathan, 1 Sam. 14.44. there was 1 Sam. 10.6. such a change upon him as was visible, and made him another man, yea this change was so deep, that it reached to the very heart of him; it is said 1 Sam. 10.9. God gave him another heart, yet this was not a thorough change, he had not a new heart, though another heart; neither was Saul a new man, though another man.  
The young man in the Gospel may be brought as a clear & pregnant testimony of this truth, Mat. 19.20. see how far he went; he observed all the commands of God, and not willing to stop here, he professes his desire to know and do more yet: What lack I yet? this man went so far, that Christ himself says of him that he was not far from the kingdom of God; yet so near a she came to it, he never reaches it.  
To this you may add the three sorts of bad hearers, which are condemned by Christ, under the notion of bad ground, Luke 8.12, 13, 14. the worst of the three did more then barely hear the word; they did receive it, and that into their hearts; for it is said of the stony ground which was worst of the three, that the devil took the word, (not before it came at their hearts) but out of their hearts; he did not take their hearts away, so that they minded not what was spoken, as he doth many men's and women's, but he took it away after they had received it. Both the other go thus far, and somewhat farther; for their reception of the word is noted with some additional circumstances, as the second received it with joy, and did not lose it presently, till in tract of time cares and pleasures choked it; the third yet exceeded both these, for it received, kept & improved the Word, inbringing forth some fruits, only it was not to perfection. If all this be not ground enough to build this conclusion upon, look to the foolish Virgins, and see how far they go in this point, and how like they were to the wise, Mat. 25.1, 2, 3, 4, etc.  
First, as for their profession, it was visible, they had Lamps in their hands.  
Secondly, this was not an ignorant profession neither, for they had oil in their Lamps, some illumination, and some convictions to keep this profession alive.  
Thirdly, their profession was not without practice, intimated in these expressions,  
First, They went: they were upon some motion, they did perform some duties, and observe Ordinances.  
Secondly, They went forth, (viz.) they left many behind them, they went out from that condition of life in which they had lived, and they took up another course.  
Thirdly, they associated themselves with those who did in truth fear God; they accompanied the wise Virgins.  
Fourthly, they complied with their design, and professed themselves the followers of Christ, they went to meet the Bridegroom.  
Fifthly, they did in every thing behave themselves so like the wise Virgins, that they were not discerned, nor suspected by the wise Virgins; the coming of Christ first detected them.  
Sixthly, their confidence held out unto the very last; for when the Bridegroom came they risen to trim their Lamps, thinking to go in with the other, but were deceived.  
Lastly, there was nothing wanting but that which was invisible, viz. oil in their vessels: they wanted grace in their hearts, and therefore though these came thus nigh to the very door of Heaven, and cry Lord, Lord open to us, yet it is in vain; Christ answers them as strangers, I know you not; if there needed any thing more to make this proposition clear, I could instance in Judas and Demas, and others who went beyond these also, being not only professors, but preachers of the truth to others. But it is needless to insist longer upon the proof of that which the many sad experiences and examples of our present age hath made so manifest. How many hath this Age brought forth of this kind, who have climbed high in profession, but have fallen from the most visible glorious appearance of godliness to the most abominable profaneness, to be as conscientiously vile as ever they were strict. This shall serve for the general proof, by which you may see that this is a truth which I have propounded.   

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 persuasions men may have, which yet are not gracious.  
Secondly, from whence these do arise; and in this I shall consider two things.  
First, whence it is that they extend so far.  
Secondly, why they reach no farther.  
For the first, what kind of persuasions these are, which yet prove not effectual to the bringing men over to Christ, it is necessary to show you first what Persuasion is: a persuasion is a moral bending of the judgement or will to truth, or goodness, 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 full and clear, than it imports as much as assurance; so it is taken, Rom. 8.38. I am persuaded, that is I am assured, that nothing shall 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 design, either good in itself, or made so to appear; thus it is used, Acts 13.43. and chap. 18.13. and so in this place▪ This persuasion rested in the Will, and had for its end, Action, following of Christ.  
In the first sense Man may be said to persuade; the understanding and judgement lie more open and naked, and one man's reason does give light to another's.  
But in the second (if we take it in reference to the chief good) it is God's prerogative only to persuade; he only can penetrate the Will, and turn it to its proper object, Ps. 110.3. In the day of thy power thy people shall be willing. Therefore Noah praying for, or prophesying of Japhets' condition, says thus, Gen. 9.27. The Lord persuade Japhet, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem: we read it ordinarily, The Lord enlarge Japhet, but it may be as well rendered, persuade him. The word is Japht, of Patach, aperuit, it signifies properly to open a thing, and Metaphorically to persuade, because the heart must be opened in persuading. Now when Noah prays that the Gentiles which came of Japhet should be brought into the Church, which was to be settled in the Family of Shem, he prays that God would open their hearts, and effectually persuade them, for he was only sufficienty in this matter.  
But to come nearer to the business in hand, we are to consider what kind of persuasions 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 shall enumerate some particulars.  
First, they may be persuaded of the evil of their own ways; this the very Gentiles knew who 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 gripe of conscience when they break out into such sins which the light of nature, and the Word of the Lord do so palpably condemn, I am persuaded that the Drunkard, Swearer, Liar, Sabbath-breaker, the man that neglects Prayer, Reading, and Meditation, do not think these ways of theirs are good; they walk up and down as self-condemned persons.  
Secondly, they may see not only the evil of their ways, but also the danger of them; they have some glances and hints, yea and sometimes foretastes of the sad end of these things. They are convinced 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 will not stop them, they will 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 only 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 pronounced against such sinners.  
Secondly, that this sentence was unto death.  
Thirdly, that this was a just and righteous judgement, these things must needs carry with them very great convictions of the demerit of sin, and the danger of the sinner.  
Thirdly, they may be persuaded of the necessity of a change; this must needs arise from the two former: he that sees the evil of his own ways, together with the danger of them, must needs conclude that a change must pass upon him in order to happiness; though no unregenerate man does know what that change is which he must suffer if he will be saved; yet many of them know thus much, that they must be changed; they are convinced 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 persuaded) in many men a confused general notion of Regeneration, though they have not a distinct knowledge of it, and they are convinced it is a work which they have not yet experienced, without which they cannot be saved. I need not go out of the Congregation for the proof of this: I am confident this is the persuasion 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 convinced of the equity of the ways of God, and the reasorableness of all his commands, yea and of his judgements. How many are there whose affections serve the devil, and their lusts? who will notwithstanding consent in their judgements to the ways of God; they will grant when they are urged to it, that there is nothing more equitable than that the creature should be conformed to the will of the Creator, & that he that made us should expect from us a submission to his commands, seeing we depeud upon him, and we should improve and spend all that for him, which we receive from him. The very principles of Reason will condemn the sinner as a monster, and the most irregular person in the world, who 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 what 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 will confess it is very equitable that the Lord who made us, and by whose patience and bounty we subsist, should put the yoke upon us, and that it is no injustice nor exaction in him to require the strictest obedience in us, so that when he conside rany or all the ways which the Lord prescribes unto us to walk towards him, though he apprehend them as hard and unpleasant through his weakness and corruption, yet when he doth but glance upon the sovereign power of God over his creatures, and the dependence of the creatures upon him, he must needs say, that it is a reasonable thing, and just to fear this God, and to submit to all that he commands. And as they are convinced 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 shall 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 subtract all comfortable influences from them, and turn his hand against them for evil. Now if these things be engrafted in nature, surely men who have many accessions of light to their natural principles by the gospel under which they live, will go to hell with a conviction of the equity of those ●hings which the Lord required of them and of the judgement which he hath passed upon them.  
V They may be persawded of the truth of the threaten and promises; so that they may be able sometimes to look 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 believers and such as are almost christians, that they are clearly convinced that there will be a difference betwixt those that fear the Lord, and those that fear him not; they know it will go ill with the wicked; but it will go 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 threatened 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 itself; 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 would conclude that the dreadful things threatened in the Word of God are not cyphers, or things to be played withal, or the inventions of men, only to keep others in awe, as some Atheists have believed, but that they are truths whereof one tittle shall not fall to the ground unperformed; these things wicked men know to be true here, and shall feel them true hereafter; yea these tastes of the truth of the threaten 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 sharpness 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 flashed 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 will evidence this in after-fruits. Beside this, they are convinced of the truth of the promises of God made to his people. And when the terrors which broke in from the threaten, 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 John's Doctrines had some impressions upon him, and these had made an alteration in his practices and ways, having reform many things that were amiss, now he hears John gladly, and he greedily catches at all the sweet promises which John dropped 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 was much advanced; they rejoiced in the Heaven and happiness which the promises held forth to the Saints, (which they could not do unless they had believed them) but they were unwilling to go thorough 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 convinced of the excellent privileges 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 persuaded of the excellent state of the Saints then in respect of the glory which shall be put upon their souls and bodies, their freedom f●om evil, and the accession of all good things. Now though they have not a true taste of these privileges, and they know not what grace is, and the pleasure of communion with God is, yet they being persuaded 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 forc'd to acknowledge that this false joy was yet better than all the pleasures of their sins, and hence they have been strongly persuaded of the truth of God's promises made to his people, though they do not belong to them; this is the case of many men, who by the persuasions 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 persuasions as he did, Luke 14.15. Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God, yet themselves never come there.  
VI They may be persuaded of the sweetness of God's ways, and that those who follow him have their pleasure, yea more pleasure than 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 goodness of the word, and having tasted it, they accounted it good. Now we know that the taste counts nothing good but that which 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, bathe given much ease to conscience, and hath procured much rest from the troubles with which they were before overwhelmed: so that comparing their lives with what they w●re before, they do account the much more pleasant than when they lived in the height of sin, because they had then many gripe of conscience which spoilt all their mirth; now though they have but a false peace, yet it is sweeter than 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 God's love, and of the pardon of sin, and of eternal life; so that he is as it were wrapped 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 rejoices 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 seem 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 God's 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 show 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 find 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 sweetness 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 persuaded 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 lose practices of the wicked; yet these men that come thus far, may not be altogether Christians.  
7ly. They may be persuaded of things that are excellent, and may be able to judge betwixt things that differ, yea so far skilled 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 only see or show 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 show 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 than in another, and yet have no true grace himself. Thus we see men in their judgements may be for God in many things, yea in so many things, that it is hard to show in what they may not be for him, and yet their wills 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 inquire concerning the Will, 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 persuasions; yet the Will is not without some motions: he wils some things, and does many things, as Herod and others did. Let us inquire a little concerning those persuasions which reach the will, yet imperfectly.   

CHAP. IU. How far the Will may be persuaded.  
FIrst, some are so far persuaded to be Christians, that they resolve to comply with all those convictions which I shown you they might have, and they determine with themselves that they will be Christians, though not yet; they stick at nothing but the time, they are fully persuaded that they must be changed; such a sin must be left, and such a duty must be taken up. They confess that Repentance and mortisication of particular corruptions are necessary things, and they resolve with themselves, that they will practise these, but they cannot agree upon the time; I will do this says one, when I am old, or when I am sicit, says another; then I would willingly be as strict and holy as the best. Others they crave a less time; the next year says one, I will become a new man; perhaps another resolves upon the next month, a third craves but a week's liberty more, a fourth but a day; nay perhaps a man may so far comply with his convictions, that he may! resolve to do something the next hour, and yet as near as these come up to a compliance with the command of God, they never obey it. See an example of this Luke 9.59, 61. One says, I will but go and bury my Father; this might have been done in a day, the other says, I will but go and bid my friends farewel, and then I will come and follow thee, and this was but an hours work; but Jesus who sees not as man sees, discerns the distance at which their hearts stood from him all this while under this fair persuasion; he saw that he and they were never like to meet, as near as they seemed to be. He knew that these would never bid enough for Heaven, as fair as they offered; therefore he presently falls upon a discourse to show how unfit such merchants were for him, as if he had said to the standers by, You think that I have gotten two Disciples; here are two that will follow me without dispute. But you are mistaken; there is a greater difference betwixt them and me then you see; this difference about the time is like to part me and them eternally; for if they were fully resolved to follow me, they would follow me now; these delays and promises for to morrow are but a smother kind of denial than others do give.  
Secondly, some are so far far persuaded that they would be Christians, but not in all places, they would be Christians in public, but not in private; they will go so far in profession as others do; they would willingly submit to those things which come under common observation; that which is visible in others, they would willingly have to be manifest in them. The form of godliness is obvious to all, but the power of godliness is a secret thing, and consists in secret duties which others see not, as in closet-duties, secret Prayer and meditation, and heart-examination; these things they will not touch withal. Such were in Ezekiel's time, who would have passed for God's people in the Congregation, Eze. 33.30, 31. they sat there as God's people, and they heard the word of the Lord, and they took delight in so doing; this they were in public; but what were they in private? see Ezek 8.7, 8, 9 Abominable Idolaters; thus men will be Saints in one place, and devils in another; when they come to hear the Word, they would carry a semblance with them; here they will be for Christ; but what do they carry of this to their families? there is no sense nor savour of those truths which they are affected with under the Ordinance; or if they carry a little of this into their families, and then repeat what they hear, or confer of it with others, yet follow them to their secret Chambers, do they carry the impressions of truth thither? do they examine themselves by it there? do they pray over what they hear there where no eye sees them? surely no. Can their private retirements witness for them at last that they have been sensible of their own sins, and the sins of others? can the tears dropped there for the sins of the place speak for them? can their bedsides testify for them that they poured out their souls by them unto God with strong and daily cries? can the darkness of the night bear them record that their meditations have been of God, and that they have been laying of designs for the honouring of God in their places and stations in which God hath set them? Oh my friends, consider these things, and examine yourselves whether you have not been as Jehu, zealous for God before men, that you may have even said by your gesture and behaviour, Come see my zeal for the Lord; and yet in private you have minded nothing more than he did, the seeking of yourselves, and the establishment of your own houses; oh when you come into your closerts, and to your bedsides, you should blush and be ashamed to think how much you differ there from yourselves here. Here you pretend yourselves to be the servants of God, and there you profess yourselves the servants of the world; oh how few of those truths have you weighed and considered of there, which you have been convinced of here; when you come there, you see your books of accounts in one place, your bills of parcels in another your Letters in another: think how much time you have spent here in your chair, and how little upon your knees; here you have been mornings early, and evenings late, but not with your Bible before you, nor at prayer or meditation upon spiritual matters, but at the affairs of trade. I tell you that these things will rise up in judgement against you, and condemn you at last, and God will judge you not by what you are before men, but by what you are before him in secret, for it is this that he most observes, Matth. 6.4.6.18: He sees in secret, that is, he only sees in secret, this is his prerogative, for he sees and regards principally what men do in secret; he values more that which men do behind men's backs, than what they do before their faces; he sees so in secret, that if men be not the same in secret that they are in public, he will take no notice of it; Upon this account he would not know those Formalists mentioned Matth. 6.16. This will be enough to prove you to be but Christians in part, in that you are not Christians in secret. That a man is, that he is when he is alone; that which a man thinks of, designs for, and delights in most in private, that shows what a man is.  
Thirdly, some are persuaded to be Christians, but not amongst all persons; they will be good amongst the good, but not amongst the evil; they can swim down the stream with the godly, but not up the stream; like Peter they will profess while they are amongst the Disciples, that they will die with Christ; but when they are amongst those that deny him, they will not know the man. They are not able to stand before the breath of a scorner; one that scoffs at Religion beats them out of their profession. How many be there that will profess Christ very far amongst professors, where it is a credit to own God, who yet will be ashamed of this, when they fall amongst those who will reproach his ways? then either they join with the scorner, and deny Christ, or else stand still in a base neutrality, and betray profession by their silence, as if there were a guilt in it. Thus Saul would be a Prophet amongst the Prophets, but when he comes into his Family, the evil spirit seizeth upon him; but surely such as these will be found too light when they are weighed in the scales. Observe that of our Saviour, Mark 8.38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in that adulterous and sinful Generation, of him also shall the son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his father with the blessed Angels. Christ will own those, and those only, who have owned him before wicked men, before scoffers and scorners, and such as labour to bring shame and contempt upon all that own God; therefore says Christ, it is not he that confesses me now, and favours me secretly, or openly before these who profess themselves followers of me and my word that shall then be countenanced, if he be ashamed of me before those who labour to make all men ashamed of me. Oh consider this you that would be accounted good amongst them that set an high esteem upon good men: but if you meet with those that scoff a● goodness, you are for them too; you are silent at least when the ways, and name, and people of God are blasphemed or reproached, especially if it be a friend, or a customer, or a great man; than you must say as they say, or at least say nothing to the contrary. Remember what Christ hath said, and how he will look upon you as being the shame of profession, and of his name, when he comes in his glory; how do you expect to be justified before all the world, who dared not to be good in all places, and all companies?  
iv Some are so far persuaded that they will be Christians in respect of the whole visibility of profession, but they will not take up the power and spirituality of it; they will reform so far, that they will cleanse the outside, abstain from all visible ungodliness, yea and take the form of godliness too, as the Apostle mentions some who did so, 2 Tim. 3.5. Having a form of godliness, and yet they did deny the power; that is, they did refuse to stoop to the power of it; there are two parts of Religion; the form which is visible, and lies open to men; this consists in reforming the outward man, the denying of ungodliness and worldly lusts; this is the negative part. It lies also in a performance of all those duties which come under the observation of others, as hearing the Word, reading, conferring of it, praying in the public, and in our families, with a sober and unblameable conversation towards men. All this a man may submit unto, and yet be but almost a Christian. For there is yet another part of Religion which is the very soul of it; and this lies hid from the eyes of others, and consists in two things principally. First, in the performance of secret duties, as self-denial, self-tryal and examination, watchfulness over their hearts and thoughts, mortifying of inward corruptions. Secondly, it consisteth in the frame and bent of the heart, in these and all other duties towards God. The main of Religion lies here in fearing and loving of God. These are things which men may, and do often omit and pass over, who yet do embrace the whole body and outside of Godliness. Praying, Reading, Hearing are but the Cabinet which contain this Jewel. But godliness consisteth in a right and true disposition of the heart under these. Now if Christianity did imply no more than most men conceive it doth, if it were only an abstaining from gross and common pollutions of the world, and taking up of all those duties which are commonly confessed to be such, by men professing themselves Christians, they would be Christians altogether. But the Lord will find amongst those that perform the duties which make men visible Christians, and submit to all his Ordinances, many that are but almost Christians at the most, and that upon this account, because they never attended unto the spirituality of duties. They prayed and heard the word, & received the Sacraments, but they were carnal still; their old hearts did continue; their practices were changed, but their principles and their interests were the same still; their faces were turned but not their affections; the one stood towards God, but the other was toward some lust or other.  
Fifthly, Some would be Christians in all things, till it come to the beloved sin, till it come to profit and loss, and when they are touched here, they cry out, The Lord pardon me in this one thing. If the Minister press at any time upon men the necessity of an universal change, they mistake it, and think that by this universal we mean a general change, that is, a change in the greater] and more visible part; A leaving the greater number of known sins, and a submitting to the greater number of known duties; they think no rule so general, but admits of some exceptions in particulars. They think one sin may be reserved without prejudice to their closing with Christ, and think they may hold fast enough with one hand upon him, though they keep the other to take hold of sin and vanity. If at any time they apprehend the truth as bend against the toleration of any sin, and they see a necessity of parting with Dalilah, or Heaven, than they say This is a hard saying, who can hear it? They would willingly be followers of Christ, if he would give them a dispensation for some things which they account but small: though the least sin is too big to lie with Christ in the heart. How many do part with Christ upon this point, when he comes to cross their profit and gain, who yet are troubled to lose him, and go away like the young man, Mat. 19.22. with tears in their eyes! they will do much rather than live without hopes of Heaven, till it come to the cutting off the right hand or foot, or plucking out of the right eye; this is like the way in which Barnabas and Paul parted. Christ and they go together in many things, but when they come here they must needs part.  
VI Some are so far persuaded to be Christians, that they are ashamed to be reckoned amongst the opposers of Religion. They abhor the seat of the scorner, and will not willingly hear godliness derided; they are convinced of the happiness of those that fear God, and are convinced who they are, they would willingly be accounted favourers of such, and wish they were in their conditions: yet notwithstanding all these things, something holds them from coming up fully to their steps; either they are possessed with a sluggish spirit, and will not set themselves forth in the duties of a Christian, or else they are secretly glued to the world, and will not run the hazards of Christians. One plays the sluggard under his convictions, and cries out thus, I would fain have knowledge, but I cannot allow the time to search the scriptures, nor to read good Books, nor to frequent the company and conferences of the people of God; another says, I approve of Prayer, it is a duty, but I have not parts nor praying gifts; these are but idle excuses of hearts that will not come up to God fully; for were your hearts set to know God, you would find time enough out of your idle and unnecessary businesses to seek after knowledge, nay you would cut it out of your time that you spend in eating, drinking, and sleeping; have you not borrowed sometime from these to satisfy your lusts? and for you who pretend an excuse for the omitting and neglecting of duties in your Families, and in private, which you are convinced aught to be done, and you think to salve it with this that you have no parts; alas this is a fiction in some, and a vain excuse in all that plead it.  
For 1. Have you not abilities to express your present apprehensions, and conceptions to all men you meet with all, and converse with? are you not able to speak appositely and readily in buying and selling? you that can express what you conceive of all matters that come before you, may conclude that neglect of prayer does not arise from a defect of expression.  
2. If God should take you, and shake you over hell, and you had but eminent and deep impressions of your danger herein, you would surely then pray and cry; you would find words if you did feel your wants, or apprehend your danger; it is nothing that you want but impression.  
3. Do you not see men abundantly beneath you in parts add natural abilities, that yet are able to come to God with boldness, speak out their own and others wants freely to God?  
4. Know, it is not parts but grace that fits a man for duty. I never knew any that were wrought upon truly, how ever weak in parts, but was able to Pray without a Book; and I do believe that the spirit of Prayer ●s an essential part● of the work of grace, Zach. 12.10. Rom. 8.15. And that a man may as well live without breath, as he can be a Christian without the spirit of prayer.  
V Be thy parts never so low & weak, yet use them for God, & he will augment them, Mat. 25.29. To him that hath shall be given. Grace will bring with it such gifts as are of absolute necessity to maintain a communion with God, and such is the spirit of Prayer: never any man did conscientiously use weak and tender parts for God, but like the bread which Christ broke for the multitude, they did increase upon his hands in breaking.  
Besides these which are hindered by a slothful sluggish spirit, others come not up fully to the life of Christians, from a secret tie which is betwixt them and the world; they are loath to hazard their peace or credit amongst men. Many men notwithstanding they are convinced of the ways of God, and how they ought to walk, yet are so studious of a peaceable quiet being in the world, and so covetous of every ones good word, that they had rather venture the loss of Heaven, than the displeasing of any man; they will be for godliness in their opinion, and they will own the people of God, until it comes to this, that they must appear, they must show themselves, and this will displease such a friend, and such a neighbour, and they shall suffer by being counted a man of this or that party; this makes them draw in, as the Pharises did, who believed, but yet would not profess Christ; they would show any underhand kindness to him, but they would not be openly seen to be his followers, especially where their peace or credit would be impaired, John 12.42. Nevertheless, among the chief Rulers also many believed on him, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess h●m, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: Thus you see many men go far, not only in respect of conviction, but also of compliance with the truth and ways of God, and they seem to most men to be altogether Christians, and to the best of men to be almost such, and yet they are as far from being that which they would be accounted, and what others desire they would be, as Agrippa here was from being a Christian, who was never such. Thus I have finished the first head, and have shown you what kind of persuasions these are which are found in such as are termed almost Christians.  
The next thing which was proposed to be opened, is the spring and rise of these persuasions; in which I am to consider,  
First, the extent of these.  
Secondly, the defects of them; and here I am to show you whence it is that carnal men are so far persuaded, that they seem to be almost Christians, and then bow it comes to pass, that being brought so far, they do not prove altogether Christians.   

CHAP. V Whence these persuasions do arise.  
WHen we consider the thick darkness that is in the understanding naturally, and that gross opposition and enmity that is in the will against God, and his ways, we may justly wonder how it comes to pass, that any truth gets into the former, and that it should find any kind of compliance or favourable entertainment in the latter; yet consulting with experience, we may see that the truth doth get into the understanding by way of conviction, and into the will by way of persuasion, and works to a very great height both ways in those who yet do not graciously submit unto it, and obey it from the heart, and if we lay our reason to our experience, we may perceive that this ariseth  
1. From the relics of the light that are found in the natural conscience, Prov. 20.27. The understanding of a man is the candle of the Lord. The Lord set up a light that shined gloriously in the soul at first, and cast her beams far and near, so that it was able to see a far off: and all the offsprings of his reason, even down to a thousand Generations, were yet pure, and full of light; so that although man had made a thousand inferences from one principle, the last had been as full of light and clearness as the first. The soul has now lost that vigour and strength to discern things remote; yet she is not wholly without light, but as a candle shows those things which are near it very plainly, though such as are remote, it discovers weakly or not at all: so that light which was once in man, and did like the sun send forth his beams to the remotest parts of the horizon, now being weak and languishing, discovers only some few things. The soul does still retain some of its firstborn notions, which do shine forth in pure and unspotted beams, full of convincing light, and of undoubted truth, in which all agree. Jew, and Gentile, Barbarian and Scythian, bond and free; these are the common principles which boil up in every man, and do rise with that strength and clearness that none can fully stop them who have industriously endeavoured it.  
Such as these:  
First, that there is a God.  
Secondly, that the soul is immortal.  
Thirdly, that there is a Law by which man ought to steer all his actions; and as they do agree or disagree with this, so they are to be accounted good or evil.  
Fourthly, that this God who gives Laws to all creatures, especially to man is just, and will in Justice punish those who wilfully break his Laws; These are truths which we may find in the consciences of all men that have no light, but that of nature, Rom. 1.32. Who knowing the judgement of God, (that they which commit such things are worthy of death) not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them, Rom. 2.14, 15. When the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law: these having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another: Nay if the Scripture said nothing of the compliance of the Heathen with them, they themselves would abundantly testify their agreement with the Scriptures in these things. I might raise all the Philosophers out of their graves to hiss the Atheists of this Age out of the world, who would deny those to be men that denied a God, and would reckon those as beasts, and worse, that would question the immortality of the soul, or question whether the creature should receive a law from his Creator, or that should claim to themselves a liberty to do what they list, as if there were no standard to measure good and evil by. The Heathen would make many practical Atheists to blush at last, who could say, Non solum jus & injuria a natura dijudicantur, sed omnia omnino honest a & turpia; nam & communis intelligentia nobis res notas efficit, ea quaein animis nostris inchoavit, ut honesta in virtute ponantur, in vitiis turpia. We are not only able (says he) to judge of right and wrong betwixt man and man; but we are able to discern what is good, and what is evil, and all this by the light of nature. God has made such indelible stamps and impressions of these first principles upon man's reason, that till he be extremely corrupted, or Judicarily hardened, he discovers a transcending excellency in goodness, and an infamous blot upon wickedness; yea they who for the love of sin (that they might enjoy it quietly,) have laboured to silence these first whisper of nature, and to blot out what the finger of God hath written upon their hearts, have but laboured to wash the Blackamoor white; & when the Atheist in practice has laboured to be so in opinion, he has been but a Sceptic at last; these truths like nature under forcé return upon them again, and they are sometimes constrained to fear the Deity that they flout at, and to dread him that they have oft denied. Now seeing it is thus, that such seeds of the knowledge of good and evil are left in every man's heart naturally, it may well be, and does very oft fall out, that when men come under the word (before they have sinned away this light, and are brought to a deadly Palsy) by that oil which the ordinances do add to this lamp, and by accession of more light from the same, men see these things more clearly, and many things more which were too remote to be discovered by their first light; hence it comes to pass that he that by the light of nature saw that there was a God, now sees something of the nature of God, of his worship, and is instructed in this; he that saw that the soul was immortal, and that there was a blessedness or misery fitted to it, sees where & what it is. He that saw sin confusedly, now sees it more distinctly; yea he sees not only these things, but deduceth many things from these, and may have a general insight into all the ways of God, so that men merely enlightened, and having their naturals polished and varnished over by the often rubbing over of the Word, may come to great convictions of the truths of God. yea, and these convictions may have some con●derable influence upon their wills without the help of grace, by the help of this one thing, which is the nature of every being, it loves and seeks his own good; this is the language of every being, Psal. 4.6. Who will show us any good. No man seeks evil formally as such, but as it is disguized by Satan, or dressed up by his own wanton and corrupt fancy, and made to appear in the habit of goodness, as the Witch of Endor raised up the devil in Samumuels garments. Thus as men are convinced of the good that is in God, and his service, so they may from those common convictions set themselves to seek him, and apply themselves to his ways and ordinances. And though no man sees the chief good in God and his ways, but he that is graciously enlightened; yet common light may discover a kind of good in God, and in the seeking of him; and proportionable to the good they discover in spiritual things are their persuasions to embrace, and endeavours to attain them. Hence many without grace go far, but none far enough to reach the kingdom of God; we have an example of this in the young man, Matthew 19.20. who without special grace upon the stock of his natural abilities, with the additional light of the means under which he lived, went very far in observation of the Law, and offered very fair at Heaven, seeing doubtless a great good in salvation; but the reason why he went not through with his purchase was this, he saw not the supreme good in it; though he apprehended it a good thing to inheriteternal life, yet he saw something which to him was better; had this been the chief good in his account, it would have been his chief desire. And doubtless seeing all have the same stock of these first principles to trade upon, by living under the means they may be so heightened, that they may see (what he did) a degree of goodness and happiness in the enjoyment of spiritual things, and may be induced to do, even as he did (having a proportionable measure of persuasion) to embrace those things, and to comply with the means leading to them. These are persuasions, or else they would not be moved to do any thing; they are not full persuasions, for than they would stick at nothing: but they are imperfect, & are more or less, according to those apprehensions which they have of the excellency of God, and of his ways, of which the natural man by the light of nature, and the superadded light of the word, may have a weak sight, but without the work of grace cannot have a true sight, such as should draw him out to seek after God with all his heart; yet though he sees not all, he sees much; and though he will not do all that he is commanded, yet he will be persuaded to do many things; for though a carnal man cannot apprehend any good in the strictest profession of godliness, which is accompanied with the greatest self, denial, and exposes men to the greatest hazards, yet he does oft apprehend much good in partial compliance with Religion; for this he supposes may not spoil his particular interest, and yet may attain the end, which is true happiness; upon this account most men have their measures of persuasion, some are greater, & some less, but some do border upon a full persuasion, they are almost persuaded, or persuaded to be almost Christians.  
2 These persuasions do arise from good education in many, good counsel & instructions being wrought wisely into them by the skill and industry of their Parents and friends; & these being backed with good examples, & fenced by discipline, many have been drawn by love to entreat, or driven by fear into a profession of what is good, & by long custom they seem to have gotten a nature, and they act in a profession as if they were disposed to it by grace; & whi●es they want the temptations which others have, they seem to be fully persuaded to be Christians; but when friends or parents are taken away, who were as a hedge about them, and kept many temptations from approaching near them; or when they are taken from their friends, and called to live upon their own stock in some place, where they see other examples, & meet with temptations of all sorts, they soon show what, and whence their former persuasions were: they show that ignorance of evil, or want of temptations to it only made them seem good; But without doubt next unto grace, good education does most of all work upon the spirits of men, yea it can do any thing but renew the heart: we ●ee how children suck in the opinions and persuasions of their Parents, and ordinarily they do more zealously defend what came from them by tradition then what the light of the word afforded them. Nay it is no very difficult thing for parents to draw their children to imitate the; for the examples of those whom we love, persuade to that which for itself we do not love, yea and being drawn once to do any thing in imitation of anot●e whom we honour, we continue in it, lest we should be a dishonour to our copy; and thus by continuance we come to be persuaded of what we do, and arise so high in notion and external profession, that nothing is wanting but the power of those truths which we assent unto, and spirituality of those duties which we perform. Thus the Parent or the master makes his child or servant almost a Christian; but it's the Lord only can make him altogether such.  
3. Convictions and persuasions rise high by some special providence; God knocks so hard at the door of natural men's consciences by some afflictions, or eminent danger of death, that although he does not open the heart as he did Lydias, yet he makes a breach, at which some truth enters, which coming in with such conviction and power, for the present (yea and perhaps for the future) makes some changes in the man's apprehensions and resolutions. Thus Pharaoh himself was convinced of the power of God under affliction, whom he would not know in prosperity. When Gods providences were calm, he thunders, as if there were none greater than he; but when God thunders, he is calm, and is brought by degrees as the storm did increase, to consent to Moses demands, though never fully and with all his heart. Ahab when he was terrified with the sharp message of Elisha, how does he seem as a man changed, 1 King. 21.27. he puts ashes upon his head, girds him with sackcloth, as a man mortified and dead to this world; yet who that reads the story of Ahabs' life, judges this to be any more, than the lightning which shined in his conscience while the Prophet thundered. Thus we see men upon a sickbed, while they are under strong apprehensions and fears of death, yea and of hell too, promise much to others, and resolve much with themselves, yea and persuade themselves that they are in good earnest, and engage if God spare them, that they will be altogether Christians, and give great hopes to others, while the least we can judge of them is, that they are almost Christians. There is no evil that conscience convinceth them of, or any friend can mind them of in their former lives, but they will confess, lament, and covenant against; no duty then discovered, but they will assent unto, and ngage to take up if God will try them, the terrors of the Almighty are so dreadful, that they will do any thing rarher than go to hell. Thus Francis Spira, who deliberately and in cold blood denied the truth, yet when he lay in his bitter agonies, he said, if he might be but freed from them, he would despise all the tyrants in the world, he would never be afraid to profess the truth with the greatest hazard. When the foolish Virgins were alarmed with the noise of that dreadful cry at midnight, Behold the Bridegroom comes, they then begin to look to their Lamps, and they begin to cry for oil, a thing which they never sought for before; when they were awakened with the terror of the Lords approach, than they run too and fro from one to another, crying, give me a little of your oil; nothing less enquired for before, nothing asked for else now, though it be a truth, that the Judge stands before the door, James 5.9. yet men are nothing moved at this, they will lie still as long as he stands still; but when he gins to knock at the door by some special providence, and threatens to come in speedily, than you shall see how a man will bestir himself, he will do any thing, suffer any thing rather than God should break in upon him in this condition; then for a messenger, for a Minister, or some understanding Christian to instruct him, ot intercede for him; there can be nothing then proposed to him while the dread of the Almighty is upon him, that he will not submit unto, and accept of; and all this while the heart may not be changed; all this may arise from hence, he gins to see what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God; thus the Lord who stands always at the door, knocks at men's consciences at one time or other; at some men's often, and some stronger as well as oftener; and it is no wonder if such strokes do beat in some light into the soul, and make some change in a man's resolutions for present, and practice afterward.  
4. From the searching and convincing power of the Word under which men live. The Word is sharper than a two edged sword, a discerner of the heart and secret thoughts; it enters into the very souls of the wicked, and discovers what is within, but doth not change them; it works a reformation, though not a regeneration, Heb. 4.12. The word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts, and intents of the heart. Thus the wicked themselves have found. How did Paul get into Faelix his conscience, and ransaked it? what an Earthquake was there for the present? The Judge on the Bench trembles, while the prisoner at the Bar preaches. This is the case of many a scoffer at godliness, and of such as deride and despise the Preachers and professors of it; they come to hear for novelty, as Faelix would hear Paul; but the Minister (notwithstanding the contemptible thoughts they have of him, and the resolutions they have to slight all that he says) gets within them, rips up their hearts, shows them the secrets of their thoughts, and they are so far awed with this, that they go away convinced of the evil of their thoughts and ways, and perhaps resolved to be other men; yet time and temptation eat out these things, because there is no depth of earth for these to take rooting in.  
5. Men go thus far to quiet their consciences; though an unregenerate man will do nothing for God, yet he will do much for his peace; when once the word hath a wakened conscience, and roused that, when it hath taken him by the throat, and brought him to the judgement, than he presently cries for composition, than he desires a parley, and then he makes terms for his peace; Any thing to stop the mouth of an accusing conscience, especially if it begin to condemn, as well as to accuse. Hence it is, that many wicked men do many things in which they neither please God, nor themselves; they please not God, because they do them not upon good principles; they please not themselves because they are contrary to their lusts, which yet are as strong in them as ever; but they do them to calm conscience; they think it better to listen to conscience rather than to their corruptions, because the pleasure of sin doth not countervail the sorrow and trouble that it brings with it; and surely this is the strength of such men's reformation, their present peace is broken, conscience is enlightened, they must either deny their lusts, or live in a present hell; if it were not for this present foretaste of evil, they would not be moved, they would despise all the evil which is threatened to come.  
6. God hath some special ends in these things: as  
First, God hath a design to honour the word, and he makes the wicked themselves witnesses of the truth, and power of it, as well as the godly. They carry up and down in their lives the pledges of the same. For their restraints do prove the power of it as well as the others conversions. Though they will not love God and his ways, yet God will make them fear, and though we do not preach to their hearts, yet we shall preach to their consciences: and they shall be brought in at the last to prove what we preached was true, they themselves having experienced it. Nay let me add this, that the bridling and curbing of wicked men by the Word is a greater evidence (in some sense of the power of it) than the governing of the godly. Those few things which the wicked do for fear of the Word, shows the power of God more than those many things which the Saints do for love of it; the reason is this, because the godly have new and tender hearts, which are easily wrought upon, and are ready to comply with every command of God; but the other have hard and stony hearts, unapt to yield. The strength or sharpness of a sword is more seen by making a small impression upon steel or stone, than a large one upon wax; and surely God's word is glorified not only by converting, but by restraining; by chaining up the Lion, as well as leading the Lamb; the scars which unregenerate men carry of the Ministry, prove it mighty through God.  
2. God's end is to give men here a foretaste of the judgement to come; God keeps a petty sessions here, before the great Assize. Faelix had a taste of this Judgement; the Lord made him to feel something of what he heard, and while Paul was reasoning of judgement ro come, God made it seem present; and the Judge is by the authority of the Word put into the place of the prisoner; he trembles as if he were really at the Bar, which Paul had but now discovered, Acts 24.25. Thus the Lord deals often with wicked men, who sleight all bonds, and cast the cords of God far from them; he binds them fast in irons, and reserves them in chains for judgement to come; and though they seem to have the only liberty of all men, and to enjoy all pleasure, yet they carry some relishes of this day upon their spirits, which are as the chains which the prisoner drags after him. Nay he does not only keep them in irons thus, but he gives them some tastes of hell itself, such as Cain and Judas had, and then he takes them out of one hell, and throws them into another, as the Saints are in Heaven, oft times before they die, in the assurance of their interest in it: so wicked men are oft in hell beforehand, by their foretaste of it.  
3. To leave men inexcusable; nothing will strip them so naked at the last day as these persuasions which they had; according to the measure and clearness of these, such will be their shame, and such will be their confusion, to see how near they came to the kingdom of God, and yet shut out. God convinces those of sin whom he intends to save, that they may condemn themselves, and justify God here; and he convinces many whom be intends not to save, that they may be forced to justify him hereafter, when he shall condemn them, Psalm 51.3, 4. Against thee have I sinned, that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, and pure when thou judgest. David did not sin that God might be justified, but David was convinced of his sin, that God might be cleared, and David condemned in himself. Saint's convictions make them humble themselves, and the convictions & restraints which are thereby made upon wicked men, will make very much for the justifying of God at the last, and for the taking of all excuse from them; for they can never answer this plea: If there were not evil in sin, why did you fear or refrain from any? and if there was evil in it, why did you not refrain all sin? and this will stop their mouths, that they had knowledge of this day, & of the judgement of it; for God will take out a copy of the Judgement of the day out of their own consciences.   

CHAP. VI Showing the reasons why men so far persuaded go no further.  
QV. How comes it to pass that men thus far persuaded go no farther?  
As it is a wonder that men go so far as some do without grace; so it is as strange a thing, that being brought so far, they should stop here; but this is  
First, from Satan; he labours to blind their eyes, that they should not see the things that belong to their peace; but if he cannot keep them in a gross darkness, and in a total neglect of Heaven, than he hath a hundred ways to cozen them, and to bring them to composition, and to persuade them to half it with God; if he cannot keep them where they are, yet he will make them sit down in the mid way to Heaven; he knows that he that underbids shall buy the truth no more than he that never cheapens it. He knows Christ hath set the price upon it, and he that will not give all that he hath for the kingdom of Heaven, shall as surely lose it, as he that will give nothing. He that will keep one sin, or deny one command of Christ to submit to it, shall thereby be excluded as well as he that yields in nothing to Christ; the devil does labour therefore to hinder awakened souls from coming up fully to Christ; when he cannot hinder them from doing something, he will persuade them to keep the right hand, or to spare the right eye. If they will take their lamps, yet he will not suffer them to take oil for their vessels; and this way Satan cousins not a few, who cannot be tempted to sit still, yet are easily kept from pressing forward to the mark.  
Rea. 2 From their consciences. Conscience having attained its end which was peace, the man sits down. It was nothing, but trouble of conscience at first that makes such men stir, and now, by doing something, having obtained a little peace, they say, soul, thou hast enough; they never act in religion beyond necessity; nor go further than the terrors and fears of conscience will drive them; and these are oft times removed without grace, and they sit down without Christ. I shown you in the former how the devil did hid from them the extent of their duties, and the latitude of Christ commands, that so they might not attempt to go farther than h● might consent unto, with security to his own interest in them, having cozened them into a good opinion of themselves & misrepresented the work of grace, and the change which is wrought in them; they think all is well, and conscience is in a great calm, and this being once asleep again they settle upon their lees; the dregs which are yet left are not purged out; for all the motions of man which proceed from no other principle than the fears of death & hell, carry a man no farther than to seek his own peace; the conscience is wounded, and if the man can lick that whole again, he is quiet; but if the will were wrought upon he would not set down till he were perfectly changed.  
Reas. 3. may be from their own corruption. Being awakened by the word they begin to stir under the sense of the danger, and being convinced of the truth they receive it with joy, and like Herod do many things, till it comes to some peculiar corruption, and there they are stopped; there is some darling lust or other that they cannot leap over; they march like Jehu furiously with a seeming zeal for God, till they come to the golden Calves of Dan and Bethel, and they cannot pull these down; some lust, some interest, some advantage hinders them from following of Christ fully, and had they but grace in their wills suitable to the light in their understandings, they would be Christians indeed, as in the case of Jehu, 2 King. 10.25, 29, 30. The young man in the gospel goes on very cheerfully, and bids fair for Heaven, as one that was resolved to have it upon any terms, Mat. 19.20. What lack I yet? He seems to be willing to give more for Heaven, than all had yet given, and to do more, than yet he had done, as if all that God had required in the law had been too little, and too low a price for glory; but when Christ makes a proposal to him which met with his darling sin, which was the love of the world, he goes away sorrowful. This man that was so near the kingdom of Heaven in all appearance, leaves it behind him for the love of one corruption; this is the case of every haif-Christian; one Just or other hinders them, (though they seem to run well) and parts Christ and them for ever.  
Reas. 4. From the means they live under; they may live under a fawning and flattering Ministry, who will persuade them that the smoke is a fire, and the spark is a flame, that cry peace, peace where there is none, healing their wounds slightly, and daubing them with untempered mortar, Ezek. 13.10. How many are there that go to Hell in peace, whom their Ministers canonize here for Saints? how many are careless of themselves, by reason of their Minister's confidence, who will salute his people by the name of believers, as if he knew their place in Heaven? This makes them think they live high, when indeed 'tis he that preaches low, and that all is well, because he never shown them how ill it is. Men preach the work of conversion by halves, they search not their people to the quick, they come not near the consciences of their hearers, neither do they labour to do it; if they can  their matter in silken and soft language that may please the ears of their people, and gain applause amongst them, they think all is well; and it is no wonder if they think as they do, and thus both go down slumbering into hell.  
Reas. 5. May be in respect of God, and that in a  account.  
1. In respect of his Justice, he punishes their disobedience to their former light, by withholding of light from them, Rom. 11.28. and because when they had but little they were not faithful with that, therefore God will trust them but with little; it is just with God to punish the abuse of natural light and gifts, by a withholding of supernatural.  
2. God doth it to show his sovereignty; grace is absolutery his own; he owes it no man, but gives it to whom he pleaseth; he denies it to the enlightened and convinced, and to him that is almost a Christian, he refuseth to the Scribes and Pharisees, and gives it to Publicans and harlots, Mat. 21.31. that men might know that he will do what pleaseth him with his own.  
3. That he might show what the will of man is, and how vain a thing when left to itself. God will have us to see that it is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but of God which showeth mercy, Rom. 9.16. If it lay in the will of man, doubtless men so far persuaded would turn to God.  
4 God orders it so, that he might be admired, 2 Thes. 1.10. in them that believe, that they that are saved may see its wholly from God, when the people of God shall see those that followed them so close in profession, that they tread upon their heels, and perhaps in parts and common gifts exceeded them, when they shall see these standing on the left hand, and themselves on the right, they will then easily see what it was that made them to differ, they will then cry out, grace, grace, and admire the wisdom of God.   

CHAP, VII. The first Use of the Doctrine.  
USE 1. This speaks terror to those that are not at all persuaded to be christians. If those that are almost christians are like to fall short, what will become of those who are so far from being christians, that they have only the name, and nothing else? that have not the show and appearance of being such? what will become of the profane, the Drunkard, the Swearer, the Scoffer, the Sabbath-breaker, and the unclean, of him that is so far from carrying oil in his vessel, that he hath none in his lamp? if those that in the judgement of many pass for righteous, shall miscarry, what will become of those whom all men brand with the name of wicked & ungodly? If some shall be sent to hell from the society of the Saints, who went so far, that they were not discerned by the strictest professors, as the foolish Virgins: what will become of them, that are the companions of the wicked, that eat and drink with the drunken. If God deal thus with the green tree that hath leaves, yea and some fruit, because his fruit is sour, or not ripe: what will the Lord do with the tree that is dried up, and hath neither fruit nor yet leaves? surely God will bind these up in bundles, and cast them into everlasting burn. O consider with yourselves, you have heard how far a man may go, and yet be but almost a Christian; are not many of you convinced that you fall short of these, and that you come not near those who yet sal short of the mark of the high calling? if these shall perish who go beyond you; how can you possibly escape that come not up to them? surely this must needs convince many of you, that your condition is full of palpable and manifest danger; I'll not spend time to reason out the misery of your condition, nor to convince you concerning these things, for you carry up and down with youth worm which gnaws you already. The Drunkard and the Swearer I am persuaded, is condemned of himself; but I shall hasten to address myself to another sort of people who are ready to be more quiet than you, and to please themselves in hopes that it is not so bad with them as with others, when perhaps it is worse with them then all the rest.  
I shall now turn myself towards those who would be accounted Christians, and do in a measure and degree more or less comply with the ways of God.   

CHAP. VIII. The Second Use which is of Examination.  
USE 2. Give me leave (my friends) to make application of all that hah been said unto you, for I have spoken this principally for your sakes. Does not this place begin to put on the face of Religion? you do not only profess yourselves to be Christians, but many of you do believe that there is more in being a Christian then a bare profession, and that to be a Christian is more than to be called a Christian; you would pretend to be Christians in the strictest sense. Oh my friends, is it an honour to be called, and accounted a Christian, and is it not much more an honour to be a Christian? if there be any good in being a Christian, then labour to be such indeed, and if there be no good in being so, then do not pretend to be so; either labour to be what you would seem to be, or do not pretend to be what you desire not to be; be christians in truth, or be no Christians in appearance. I know you cannot hear the things which have been spoken to you, without some convictions; you must confess that your conditions have been ripped up, and by what hath been said, if your hearts be not in a deep sleep, you must needs be sensible that many of you are very far from being christians, and the most of you are but almost christians. Are these things of a slender consideration? can you think that this is your condition, or suspect it, and yet: be quiet? nay can you chose but tremble to think what a dreadful thing it is to be but almost a christian? some of you perhaps are convinced you are not almost Christians yet, some that you are but almost, and some are so guilty, that you dare not put it upon the trial, lest it should be manifest that you are such as the doctrine hath discovered. Some of you perhaps are like Gallio, you care for none of these things; you are resolved to be quiet what ever the Minister says, not minding that there is a greater that condemns you then the Minister; if we could throw hel-fire about your ears, and scorch you with the heat of the Word, yet you would be quiet again so soon as you can get out of the sight of the pulpit, and the sound of the Minister; if we could call for fire from Heaven, as Elijah did, 2 King. 1.19. Tell me, do not many of you sit here in little ease? are you not sometimes under much trouble, and under many convictions while you are under the word? but when you are out of the noise of that, you grow quiet again. Ah my friends, will you never be serious, and in good earnest? will you always be betwixt jest and earnest? will you always dally with convictions, and trifle with eternity? shall all that I have spoken to you from this Text be to no purpose? shall I conclude, that the Lord raised me up in judgement to be a witness against you? Pray give me leave to reason with you a little, and oh that the things which have been delivered to you, were written upon your hearts, that I could but make you sensible of the danger of that condition in which many of you are. Oh that I could so affect my own heart, and yours in this thing, that those words which Francis Spira breathed out in his agony, might be ever sounding in our ears; It is a fearful thing to be almost a Christian. I beseech you brethren inquire concerning your conditions, and compare yourselves with the word which hath been preached. Gather up those convictions which you have met withal in this discourse, and see what answer you can make to the Inditements which your consciences have drawn up against you from it.  
If conscience have not acted its part hitherto, let it do it now. Begin and judge yourselves, that you be not judged of the Lord. Better it is to judge yourselves, and lie in the dust, then to be judged of God, and cast into hel-fire. I would entreat all you that have at any time attempted any reformation, and pretended to a change: to consider seriously of this thing. Are there not some here, who have been under great convictions of the evil of your conditions, and when these were strong upon you, you made great promises of reforming, and of being new men. Nay, you could not conceal this, but others have taken notice of it, good people took notice of it, and they had great hopes; and wicked men took notice of it, and perhaps for present were startled at it; but have they not since said lo, see what is become of such a man's reformation, the man is become like one of us again. I am confident here are those amongst us who will be stung to purpose, when they come upon their deathbeds, when they do but look back, and consider what convictions they had, what promises they have made, what profession they have taken up for a time, and how near they came to be Christians, and how they have fallen away from their profession, and are fallen to their wicked practices again in private, yea and sometimes to plead for these evils of which they have been convinced.  
Others of you that have not fallen back so visibly, yet how have you stood still, and shamed the hopes of God's people, who have expected greater things from you, than they see, or find! It may be said of some of you, as it was of the Galathians, ye did run well, who did hinder you? you seemed to begin in the spirit, but will you end in the flesh? you did run at first setting forth, and you were very sensible, and seemed very serious, but now you slack your pace. Is there less evil in sin now, then when your eyes were first opened? you could then roar and cry, oh the evil of sin, oh my Drunkenness, my company-keeping, my Carding and Dicing; these were bitter things; but are these things less evil now then they were? I am sure some of you have other thoughts of these than you had; is there less need of Christ now then in former days? or are you less sensible of it? is there less need of zeal for God's glory now then before, and of circumspection in your walking? is the society of the people of God less profitable, or less desirable than it was, that some of you who seemed to desire opportunities of getting acquaintance with them, are at a stand? Look into these things, and tell me whether these things do not speak sadly of many of you, that you were once almost Christians, and are now gone back, and others are but almost Christians, and therefore stand at a stay, if you do not decline? Oh that I could persuade you to pluck off those Figg-leaves with which you cover yourselves, and see the nakedness of your souls, acknowledge it, and come to Christ for white raiment, that your nakedness do not appear; that profession which you cover yourselves withal now, will be your shame at the last day.  
But here will arise a great question; How shall I know whether I am a Christian in good earnest or not, whether I am altogether a Christian? Now, you will say this must needs be hard to resolve, because we sin all, and every one hath some defects or other, and will have till we are perfected. How shall we be able to distinguish betwixt the defects of a true Christian, and one that is but almost a christian?  
Ans. A sound christian commonly fails in the manner of performing duties, but he that is but a christian in part fails in the matter; the first fails in the circumstantials; the second in the Substantials of duty. A sound christian performs every duty made known to him, the other picks and chooses his duties, such as are easiest or most profitable or most in fashion, or such as are best accommodated to his own parts or abilities. He takes up some, and leaves out others; but a sound christian takes up every duty, embraces all the commands of God, with equal respect, not having any respect to those things which guide the other is his profession and practice; The one will perform public duties, because he can make his advantage of them; there is an honour or a profit attending them, but he neglects private duties, because he can make no advantage of that which no man sees. Or if he do perform private duties of prayer, and reading, yet he omits the examination of his heart, and the watching over his thoughts, and the mortifying of his secret corruptions, because these things are hard, and the other are more easy. Besides amongst his public duties he performs some because they do make most for the discovering of his abilities, as a man that hath a gift in prayer, or in opening the word, may do much in them not for the love of the duties, but out of a desire to exercise his own parts: But he that is indeed a christian will do all that is commanded; though it be a duty which is not fitted to his advantages, nor to which he is not sitted by natural accomplishments, yet he will do it willingly and cheerfully, though he can do it but weakly, this was David's frame Psal 119.6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments.  
Now I beseech you consider this. Are there not here those who do pick and choose their duties, and that live in the constant (nay total) neglect of such duties, as they are convinced of? With what face can you lay claim to an interest in Christ, & call yourselves christians? How many are there here that will take up some duties that are in fashion, and yet will neglect others that have a little self denial annexed unto them? Can you be disciples of Christ without following Christ, nay can you be disciples without following him with your crosses upon your backs? Mat. 16.24. Do not flatter and deceive yourselves, it is not every one that cries Lord, Lord; it is not every one that calls himself a Christian that will be found a christian at the last day; that which will pass you for a Christian amongst men; will not do it before the Lord, who judges not with man's judgement. The Lord is impartial in judging; and if you be not so in your profession, & in your obedience, be sure of it, the Lord will put a difference betwixt you and those that fear his name.  
2. Though all do fail partly in the matter, and partly in manner of performing duties, yet a sincere Christian labours to find out his defects, and to be humbled for them; but the half Christian either sees or considers them not, and therefore is quiet under them. A gracious soul is much in prying into its own miscarriages, both in its omissious, what duty hasbin neglected & into its weaknesses; what neglect hath been in the duties, what grace was wanting, or what was weak in it, and so one duty rises out of the ashes of another. But the other takes no notice of those things, but contents himself when he has done the duty, and is glad that his task is over, even as one rejoices that he is come to his journey's end; the one sees a reason to pray again, when he hath been at prayer, to beg pardon for the sins of his prayers; but the other sees no such thing; the language of a carnal heart after any duty (however it be done) is nothing but this Now soul take thy ease. Oh now tell me, be there not many that live in the neglect of duties, public, and private, family and closet duties, and yet you are quiet under them? this is sad evidence that you are of these half christians. If you were truly humbled, two were impossible that you should please yourselves in such a posture; it is impossible for a man or woman to continue resolvedly in that for which he is truly humbled: that which thou groanest under, thou wilt labour to lay down and if thou art not humbled under thy defects, thou art no Christian; Remember and consider it all you that hear me this day, it is a thing in consistent with the truth of christianity for a man to live in a willing, quiet, constant neglect of any known duty. The best Christian may be be put by the performance of his known duty: by the strength of some temptation for a time; but to persist in this, to make this his constant practice, and quiet himself in it, is a notorious proof of a half Christian. But this let me say to you, who are complaining of your failings in duty, and are deeply sensible of your wander, and weakness, and your souls are afflicted for them, and you are filled from hence with humble thoughts of yourselves; God will put a difference betwixt your defects, and other men's. Be of good comfort, you shall not be reckoned amongst these halters, and halfers in the worship of God; you that make this daily use of the imperfections of your duties to lie low, and humble before the Lord, shall never be charged with them in the world to come. And you that can neither think well, nor speak well of yourselves in what you do, you shall have this honour, & this comfort, to hear well of God, and shall have this testimony, that you have pleased him, when you shall have the great seal of God's approbation set upon your weak, but sincere obedience, Well done you good and faithful servant.  
He that is but almost a Christian is unwilling to find out his duty, though he dare not live out of the practice of it, being convinced; but he that is altogether a Christian, does not only live in the practice of what he knows, but is greedy to know what he ought to practise. It is not so much the living up to what we know, as the desire to know how we should live, that does evidence a man to be a sound and impartial christian. It is possible to find a man that neglects no known duty, and yet is but half a Christian, for conscience may be so awakened, that a man may not dare to neglect any thing which he is convinced he ought to do, being known he must practise it, for his peace sake; but this man is not willing to know his duty, he will not take it up till it be clearly brought home to him, he will not seek for it, and hunt after it, he will stop his ears and eyes as long as he can, but when he can withstand the hints, and intimations, and convictions no longer, than he cannot but take it up: but he that is a true Christian does not only practise what he knows, but he desires to know that he may practise; he seeks out for his duty, which a hypocrite will not do; the hypocrite seeks for his peace in the performance of duty, but the godly man seeks out for his duty; if he have the least hint in the Word of any duty which he hath been ignorant of, he cannot be quiet till he be satisfied about it, till he hath found it out. The other does not more greedily suck in comfort and notious tending that way, than he does information of duty and directions about it.  
Now let me tell you the difference between those two sorts of persons is not more eminently discerned in any thing then in this I am speaking unto. For the highest pitch that such a man can come to who is not fully a Christian, is this, that he may live in the practice of every known duty, yet here he is distinguished from a sound, hearty, substantial Christian; there is in him an unwillingness to be informed, and convinced of his duty. There does remain in every unregenerate man, (and is the surest mark of unregeneracy,) an unwilingness to come to the light, lest their deeds should be discovered. Natural conscience, and legal working will make a man follow the light when once it hath found him out, but nothing but grace will make a man love the light, and seek after the light to walk by it, John 3.20, 21. Give me leave to commend this particular to your consideration, and take heed you be not deceived here. Here are some of you come to the Word, and perhaps God meets with you, and convinces you of a sin, and you go away, and resolve against it; nay perhaps you make conscience of that ever after; again you are convinced of such a duty, and go home, and take up some resolutions to practise it, nay you cannot be quiet in the neglect of it, and you will say, surely I am now a Christian indeed, for I live in the Commission of no known sin, nor in the omission of any known duty; do I lack any thing yet? this is enough for to make thee pass for a true Christian with others, but this doth not make thee so before the Lord, neither mayest thou conclude thyself such a one from all this; thou mayest be almost a Christian all this while; for the main thing may yet be wanting, which is, grace in the heart; thou mayest not neglect duty, and yet thou mayest not love thy duty; thou mayest not dare to disobey the command, and yet thou mayest not delight in the commands of God; if thou hast nothing but convictions and awakenings of conscience, thou wilt never hunt after thy duty, seek abroad for it as Esau hunted for the venison; thou perhaps, when it is brought home to thee, and pressed upon thee, wilt receive it as Jacob did the Kid's flesh upon his Mother's importunity. Oh tell me, are you not troubled when you meet with a conviction under the Word, and you struggle against it, and would fain evade it; you would not willingly see your sin, nor willingly see your duty. Nay, when you do meet with a conviction of either kind, your hearts do rise against it, and you say in yourselves, Oh that this were no sin, that I might enjoy it quietly, or oh that there were no such command to make this my duty; so that though you yield to the conviction, and walk by it, yet you are surprised by it; the duty finds out you, you do not find out that, nor go forth to meet it half way; this is a clear sign you are not come fully up to close with Christ; there is as great a difference betwixt you and one that is come fully to the terms of Christ, as there is betwixt green wood and dry; the greenest wood may be made to burn if it be put into the fire & much blown upon, but the dry wood takes fire presently without the help of the bellows. A godly heart is like Tinder, the least spark of conviction that falls upon it kindles it, he complies as readily with the word of conviction, as with the words of comfort; nay ordinarily catches hold of the former, and improves it more than the latter. Balam was so convinced of sin, that he dares not go beyond the command of God; but his behaviour may prove, that the discoveries which God made to him, did not please him. But David does not only follow a conviction, but loves it, and loves the means by which he was convinced, Psalm 119.10, 11. With my whole heart have I sought thee, O let me not wander from thy Commandments; thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee, Psalm 19.11. David counted the word sweet unto him, because it gave him warning concerning sin that he might avoid it, and because it enlightened his eyes, and shown him his duty that he might practise it, v. 8. Surely an hypocrite cannot love the word of God upon this account, these are not the breathe of unsound hearts; they say nor as he did, Psalm 119.5. O that my ways wore directe●l to keep thy statutes! They pray not as he did, Psalm 119.27.33, 34, 36. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes: Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law: Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies. They have not his affections, Psalms 119.14, 16, 20, 72. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches, I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word, My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgements at all times. The law of thy mouth is better unto me then thousands of gold and silver. These are the great and infallible characters of a heart fully complying with God, of one that is a Christian, and Disciple of Christ indeed; the man or woman that does thus is doubtless such a one as David prayed he might be. Psalm 119.80. his heart is sound with God; but if it be otherwise with you, I tell you you are not yet the Disciples of Christ, you do not follow him in that great thing, in which he is proposed as our example (viz.) he did not only do his Father's will, but he counted it meat & drink to do so.  
4. He that is a Christian indeed, labours to be much more a Christian then yet he is; he that is but almost a Christian, contents himself with what he is, and thinks all is well; and indeed this is a sure discovery of both these. They who are altogether Christians, I mean in respect of their persuasions and endeavours, account themselves but half Christians in respect of practice and attainment: But he that is but half a Christian both in practice and in persuasion, accounts himself enough in both. I have heard this complaint fall from the mouth often of one of the eminentest christians that ever I knew, I am but half a christian. But I never hear you formalluke-warm professors so judge of themselves. These are much in observing the difference betwixt them and others, rather than the disproportion that is betwixt them and others, and that great example by which they are to walk, and that holy Law unto which they are to be conformed, whereas a true christian is much in comparing himself with the Law of God, humbling himself for falling short of that, and not applauding himself for that in which he seems to exceed others; now that you may the better judge of yourselves by this trial laid down, I shall help you a little by branching this Head into these four particulars; for there is none that will seem guilty of this at first sight, but will say, I would be more a christian then I am, and I wish I were better, and pray God make us all better, and yet such persons have a secret opinion of their condition that it is good enough, and they strive not to be better: you shall know whether you do reckon yourselves altogether christians or not, by these four things.  
1. If the performance, some duties take thee off from the enquiry after others; thus it is wit ha' half christian, he makes one duty a vail to cover another, he makes one duty a blind to another, and because he does some things which others neglect, he thinks he does all that is required. Thus it was with the Pharisee, Luke 18.12. I thank God I am not as other men. And thus it was with Paul before conversion, Phil. 3.6. Touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless. But a true christian is careful that while he performs some duties, he does not neglect others, and he carries a jealousy over himself still, that he hath not found out the duties of every condition, and of every relation, he fears still that something of his duty is hîd from his eyes.  
2. A man that thinks himself to be enough a christian, does not only think that he doth enough, but he thinks he does every thing well enough, he thinks that he is spiritual enough in duty; but the other labours to be more spiritual in what he does. So that he does not only desire to abound in the matter of duty, but so excel in the manner of performing it.  
3. He that thinks himself enough a Christian, looks not unto Jesus Christ his pattern and example, but he looks to himself, and to others that are beneath him, and this confirms him in opinion of himself: and hence it is, that he is not humbled under his failings, but lifted up under his performances. But a true christian that thinks himself but a piece of a christian, and would be much more such, is much in eyeing Christ, and is much in humbling himself for falling short of him in every thing that he does. If he looks to men, it is to them that excel him in grace; but he looks more to Christ, then to all men living, as the Apostle did, Phil. 3.12, 13, 14. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I way apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  
4. He that thinks himself enough a christian, will show himself in this, he is not willing to receive any conviction from any one concerning his condition; he cannot bear with any one that will deal plainly with him, and call his condition into question; he is shy of such as are faithful with him, and offended at any word that seems to be pressed upon him; he thinks he does not deserve it. But a sound Christian takes it kindly, when any deal faithfully with him, and he receives every reproof or conviction with much tenderness; nay he is not offended if any do suspect or fear his condition conscientiously, though perhaps causelessly, and the reason why he can bear with the fears and jealousies of others is because he hath jealousies of himself. By these things you shall try your own spirits whether you do account yourselves enough Christians. If upon inquiry you find that you have this esteem of yourselves, then know that you are no christians indeed, and in truth. For he that is a christian fully in persuasion, desires still to be more a christian in practice; he is not and cannot be contented with what he is, nor with what he does, but labours as much to exceed himself, as the others doth labour to exceed others; he labours to have his last works more than his former, where as the other contents himself in running his round, & in doing to day, as yesterday, and to morrow as this day.  
5. He that is but almost a christian differs from a sound in this: he will follow God no farther than to get quiet of conscience, the other follows God for holiness. Now a desire to pacify a troubled conscience may carry a man far; but a desire to be holy will carry a man much farther, and the reason is evident. Because the one is a constrained motion, the other is free and voluntary. A man that is acted merely by a desire of peace, will not go so far as he that is moved by an inward principle, because he is not conversant in duty for the love of duty, but for the love of his peace, which if he miss, he will after a time cast aside the duty as vain and unprofitable; or if he meet with it, he will begin to be more remiss in it, counting it needless to be so strict, when he hath attained his ends. Again, such a man will limit himself in duty, that seeks nothing but his peace in it; he will go no farther than he sees he must go, or hazard his peace; and when he hath quieted his conscience, by arriving at such a measure of reformation, and by attaining to such a degree of profession, he than resolves to sit down, and says, All is well. Every motion ceases in the attaining the end of it; so does this man's endeavour, when he hath gotten a little rest to his spirit; but a man that follows God for holiness can never be satisfied with it; he cannot sit down and say it is enough; for he can never have the fill of his desire in this life; there is an infiniteness in the desire of every renewed heart after God, and holiness, which cannot be filled up till it come in Heaven. We have a very plain scripture for this, 1 John 3.23. Belov●d, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is that hath this hope, purifies himself as God is pure; here is a sure rule to judge of the truth of our desires by. He that desires holiness unfaignedly and sincerely, desires it infinitely; but he that desires it for something else, desires it but in a such a degree as will serve to reach such an end as he proposes to himself, if a man seeks it for his or edit in the world, than he seeks no more of it then is in credit with men. If he seek it for his peace, than he seeks it only so far as may serve to allay the heat of his conscience, and to remove such convictions that are upon him; and when this is done, he strives no farther. What a man uses as a means to another thing, which is the end, he seizes to use when he hath attained that for which he used it; but what a man desires simply for itself, that he desires still, so long as it is absent in any degree; this is one reason why covetous men are never satisfied with riches, because they desire them for themselves. A covetous man makes riches his end, and he can never be satisfied unless he had all. A godly man makes God's glory his end, and uses riches but as a means to this; so that if he have but enough to help him in this design, to attain his end of honouring God, he is satisfied; as good men seek riches and honours, so do wicked men seek grace and holiness in their notions; they seek these as means to some other thing, they would have some grace, as much as would serve their turn to hold up their credit in the world, or to keep the worm of conscience from gnawing now, or as much as they think will bring them to Heaven; but a little will serve for the first, & they think a little will serve for the last, and therefore they would not have much; they would not be too strict, nor too precise to trouble the world, nor have people think that they are singular, yet they would be counted good Christians; let me tell you as many of you as limit yourselves, and set such and such bounds to your profession and desires, and think a measure of grace and holiness is enough; you think you are good christians as you need be, yea and as good as you desire to be, it is manifest you do not make grace and holiness your end, but you desire it for something else, it is but a means to some other thing, which you having attained, rest in; if you did seek grace and holiness for itself, you could not possibly rest in any degree of it which is attainable here; you would never sit down and say you had enough, till you were holy, even as God is holy. If you did seek God aright in an ordinance, you would not only seek the knowledge of him, but conformity to him. A carnal heart may desire the knowledge of God, but a regenerate seeks to have communion with him; the one would know the truth, but the other would experience it; one would not be ignorant of God, but the other he would not be without God, he makes it his business to enjoy God, and till he do so, nothing will satisfy him.  
But now lest I should wound any poor doubting soul with that which was intended only to awaken you, and send such a one away grieved from this ordinance, and strengthen those sad conclusions which such a one is to ready to draw against himself; I shall lay down a few things for the satisfaction of such, which may stay their souls with some comfortable persuasion, that they are not the people intended in the convictions and reproofs which have been laid down in this Doctrine. Tell me then thou doubting soul who fearest greatly concerning thy condition, and art jealous that thou art but almost a christian, answer me the question which I shall propound unto thee, and I trust thou wilt be able to untie this knot which is upon thy spirit.  
1. Art thou willing to know all the will of God? is there in thee an impartial desire to be acquainted with every command, and to have all the light to shine in thy face? Dost thou not desire to shroud thyself under any cloud of darkness and ignorance of the mind of God, nor to shift off any convictions of the truth, and of thy duty contained in it? if thou done love the light, yea all the light, convincing as well as comforting light, this speaks comfortably to thee, as to a soul that is sound in the statutes of God.  
2. Dost thou find thy heart complying with every command of God, when it is made known to thee? canst thou say with David, that thou hast respect to all his ways? art thou glad when thou gettest more knowledge of sin, that thou mayest escape it, and more light concerning thy duty, that thou mayest embrace it? this is a sign that the Law is written in thy heart, and thy heart will not be removed from it.  
3. Do thy endeavours witness the truth of thy desires? art thou willing to use every means which God has appointed to bring thee to that end, which thou sayest thou proposest to thyself? Many are full of wishes and wouldings; they will say We must be holy, and we must be thus and thus, and pray God we may be so, and pray God turn our hearts, but these are idle wishes, they are not accompanied with the use of every means which is appointed to this end. They would wish that God would make them such and such, but still they continue in their shops, when they should be in the public Ordinances, or in private duties, and they link themselves to such company where they cannot expect such things as they pretend to desire. They neglect to join themselves to the people of God, who might further such designs; this is an argument their desires are not designs, but pretences, but if thou dost use● every means which God hath appointed as a furtherance of holiness; this does testify for thee that thy desires after holiness are true and unfeigned.  
4. Dost thou desire to exercise every grace as well as to perform every duty? dost thou endeavour to fill up thy duties with grace? this is the great discovery of a Christian indeed, who does not content himself to perform duties in a slight and formal manner, but does labour to exercise that grace which is required in the duty, and does account this the ornament of duty, when much grace is exercised in it. He is not satisfied with parts and gifts, and the enlargement of these in prayer, meditation, or conference; but he looks to the frame of the heart, and rejoices when he finds that set right for God Is this thy desire, & thy great design in every duty? oh this may be a good evidence for thee that thou art a Christian indeed.  
5. Dost thou bless God simply for the change that is wrought upon thy soul? he that is a Christian indeed rejoices more in the change which is begun in his soul, then in any thing that is here below; he that hath been truly humbled for sin, and grieved for that, rejoices principally in sanctification, and blesses God for that; he that was never truly humbled for sin, can rejoice, and thank God he is not as other men; but it is rather a boasting, than a thanksgiving, he can rejoice in the fruits of such a change as is wrought in him; he comforts himself in this, that there are many worse than he, and that people look upon him with another eye then they do other men; this he rejoices in, because it is for honour, but he rejoices not simply in grace and holiness; for than he would mourn for others who want it, and not exalt himself; he may rejoice also because he hath gotten a little quiet in his own spirit by the change which seems to be in him, and he says it is better now then in former times, yet he may not rejoice simply because he is changed, for than he would desire to be more and more changed from grace to grace; but a true christian rejoice; in the beginnings of sanctification without respect to any by considerations, or any advantages which may come to him by it. Tell me, do you rejoice with the formalist because your profession has gotten you a little repute in the world, or a little quiet in, your consciences? or do you rejoice with the people of God, that you are more spiritual in duty, more humble, more mortified to the world, more like to God in every faculty of the soul, and moreenlarged to him in all your affections; this is the true and proper joy of God's people; it is not peace, but purity that pleases them their comforts do increase but as their grace doth increase; as they get more grace, so they get more joy, because nothing comforts them but the renewing of their souls, according to the image of God in Christ Jesus; now if this be the rise of thy joy, this is a good witness for thee that thou art a christian indeed.  
6. Dost thou not rest in that measure of grace which thou seemest to have, but labourest after an infinite holiness, to perfect holiness in the fear of God? 2 Cor. 7.1. and to be holy as God is holy. If it be thus, thou art a christian indeed, and thy hope which thou hast for Heaven, is a true hope. 1 John 3.3. For he that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself as he is pure. He is not the truest Christian that seemeth to have most, but he that really desires, and designs for most; for the Lord measures us by these; the hungering christian is the sound christian; therefore blessed, yea undoubtedly blessed are they that thus hunger and thirst after righteousness, who have a kind of infiniteness in their desires after God and his holiness, and can say truly that their desires after this do exceed their desires after all other things.  
7. Canst thou make thy appeals for thy principles, that they are spiritual as well as thy actions? that thou art not moved by base, & low, and carnal interest in what thou dost, but it is the honour of God, the love of his ways and holiness that acts thee in thy general course? many may do much for God, and yet carry their own interest under it, as Jehu did; but if thy ends be for God as well as thy actions, than thou art a Christian altogether.  
8. Canst thou appeal to God for thy sincerity before him? dost thou not look to men so much as to God in thy profession, and labour to commend thyself to them, but to God chief and mainly, and endeavourest in every thing to approve thyself to him? If it be thus, then know, that though thou hast many imperfections, and failest in every thing that thou dost, yet thou art altogether a Christian; thou art perfect in the perfection of the gospel, though not in the perfection of the Law. I may invert that saying of the Apostle, Philip. 8.15. He says as many as are perfect are thus minded; I may say as many as are thus minded are perfect; this is the perfection which the Gospel requires and accepts; but if you come not up to a gospel-perfection, all your profession and performances are in vain; for know that the gospel requires its perfection as strictly as the law did; only with this difference; the law required perfect obedience in act, the gospel accepts sincere obedience in act, and perfect in desire and endeavour.   

CHAP. IX. A Use of Caution.  
USE 3. The third and last Use shall be of caution to all, that you rest not in such half persuasions; and in handling this, I shall lay down first, some quickening motives, and secondly, conclude with some directions. I have spoken something in general to the use of the point. I shall draw toward a conclusion, when I have laid down a few motives to quicken you all to the particular application of the truth, and to a careful avoiding of that evil temper which I have discovered in the text. I have shown you that a man may be almost a christian, and yet never truly such; I have shown you what it is to be such. I shall now show you the evil of being such. I know some of you are or have been convinced, that this is your condition, and yet you are quiet again, I shall now lay down a few things as motives to awaken your convictions, and to rouse you yet if it be possible, out of that slum bearing state in which you are; I should be loath to leave you asleep after all that I have spoken, lest you should sleep the sleep of death.  
First, consider if you are not altogether Christians, you are then altogether no Christians, all your labour is lost, your profession will come to nothing, all that you have done will not profit you, you shall be reckoned among the heathen, and such as have not known God. Christ will one day profess to you that he knows you not, all your bodily labour and external profession, though it should be accompanied with never so great expense & charge in the worship of God, will not be reckoned of, if your hearts be not right before God. We find notable expression of the Lord to Solomon when he had built the Lord a temple, with a vast expense of treasure, and had sacrificed two and twenty thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep, which was a very large service, than the Lord appears to him 1. King 9.4. and says thus, If thou wilt walk before me as thy Father David walked in integrity of heart and uprightness, to do all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgements, than I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. Mark what a seasonable caution the Lord gives Solomon, think not now thou hast done enough because thou hast done all this for the building of my house; for although thou hast done very largely, and hast been very magnificent in my service, yet know that all this will not serve my turn, if thy heart be not upright before me; all this will not profit thee nor this people that glory in it; if thou shalt stick at other of my commands, it will not avail thee that thou hast obeyed me in this thing.  
If thou dost not obey in all things, all thy obedience is nothing worth; yea though it may seem much, yet if truly weighed, it is very little. I shall insist a little upon this because it arises naturally from the words; and here shall endeavour to prove that he that is but almost a Christian, is but the least part of a Christian. If we compare the words of the text with Paul's answer to it, we shall find that this sense may be safely put upon the same, which I hinted in opening the words. I told you (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) which is here rendered almost or within a little, may as well be rendered in that which is little: I am persuaded to be a Christian, or I am a little persuaded. I could in some things be content to be a Christian, but not in all. Paul seems to take him in this sense by his reply which is, I wish thou were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well in much as in little, as well in greater matters as in less, such as I am. This is the case of many men under the word; they have some convictions upon them, and some persuasions wrought in them, and they would compound with Christ, they would follow him in some things, but not in all; and they would be Christians in some things, but not in others; and these things unto which they are persuaded to yield, and in which they will comply, they are but little things, and though they seem to be altogether Christians to some, and almost such to all; yet they are but the least part of a christian all the while; he that comes nearest to a christian, and is not so altogether, is very far from being a christian: though convictions and persuasions may be strong in such as are not yet regenerated, and they may go very far (as I have showed you in opening the Doctrine.) Nay if they should go so far, as to give their goods to the poor, and their bodies to the fire, and many such things, which may seem very glorious in the eyes of men, yet let all that such men do be seriously weighed and considered, and you shall find it exceeding small. The most glorious hypocrite in the world, and the cunningest formalist that hath put on the outside of Religion, and in many things can hardly be discerned to be such, is lighter than vanity itself, compared with a true Christian. Though these are like Saul among the people, taller by the head and shoulders, yet set him amongst Christians, and he is a Dwarf; and though he may be of great esteem for a Christian with some, yet he is still a Christian only in little things. Now this is that which I shall labour to make plain and evident unto you, it being my great design in this to pull down the high and lofty spirits of formal and empty professors, who content themselves to walk in a stinted profession, and whiles they look to some things in which they exceed many others, (as to some common works of conviction which they have had, and to some measure of persuasion, and to their outward profession) they think themselves to be some body, they are nothing, & they think they do much when indeed they do little. The Apostle speaking of the performances of hypocrites, 1 Cor. 13.2. says expressly, if this were all that he had to show to prove himself a Christian, he were not only little, but nothing. All these without grace would make me nothing. These are great things with some men, and would make a man pass for such; but these things will not make a man seem any thing before the Lord; and if we look upon such aright, they will seem little to us, which I shall demonstrate four ways.  

DEMONSTRATION 1.  
1. A formalist is a Christian in little things, because he does but little in comparison of Christ, who is his pattern, 1 Joh. 2.6. He that says he abides in Christ, aught to walk as he walked. Now if we compare the half-christian with Jesus Christ, who is an example of holiness, unto whom every one that is called after his name should be conformed, we shall find him to be empty, and lame indeed; it would require much time to compare the life of such a person with Christ in particulars. But you will say, If we compare the best men's lives with Christ, they will be found to fall short as well as he, and the strongest christians will be as nothing in comparison of him.  
Ans. Though the best christians have cause to be humbled for their failings, when they look to Christ whom they are to follow, yet there is a great difference betwixt these and the formalist in this thing. For though there be a seeming conformity in every hypocrite to Christ, yet it is but in appearance, not in reality, but there is a real and sincere conformity to Christ in every true christian.  
2. Though there be some likeness, yet there is more unlikeness to Christ in the half-christian; but in the true christian, though there be some unlikeness, yet there is more likeness; for first, though they have flesh as well as spirit, and a part unregenerate as well as regenerate, yet the spirit doth prevail over the flesh, and the regenerate over the unregenerate, so that this may, and does still pass for the principal part: it is not so with the formalist; for at the best he is carnal, and altogether flesh.  
Secondly, though he fails in every duty, and there is some corruption mixed with what he does, yet there is something of Christ in every duty, and this weighs down all his corruption; but in a formalist there is nothing of Christ in any duty that he performs; though he may exercise parts, and have great enlargements, yet there is nothing of grace in it, and so no conformity to Christ.  
Thirdly, though there be a great difference betwixt the actions of Christ and a christian, in respect of the perfection required in the Law (Christ did every thing according to the righteousness of the Law) yet in respect of that perfection which the gospel admits of, there is not so much disproportion betwixt the obedience of Christ and a christian. If the Law were to be judge of this, it would cast away all that a believer does, and conclude it no way like to what Christ hath done, because not every way like it: but let the gospel judge it, and it will acknowledge a great conformity in the one to the other, Romans 8.29. yea there is such a conformity in a believer to Christ, that he is accounted perfect, Phil. 3.15. Let us therefore. as many as be perfect, be thus minded. The work of holiness in him is so deemed, 2 Cor. 7.1. Perfecting holiness in the fear of God; and particular graces are pronounced perfect, 1 John 2.5. all these are in the gospel acceptation: so that with the favourable interpretation of the gospel, you see a believer is very like to Christ who is his pattern; but all the grace and favour that the gospel doth show to any, cannot so help a formalist, to make him to appear like to Christ in this sense.  
4. Though in all things he does not attain to that measure of perfection to be able to walk as Christ walked, yet in his desires and designs he is so; there is the same mind in him that was in Christ; take the inner man of the heart, and you shall find it exactly like to Christ, renewed in knowledge, and in grace also according to his image, Col. 3.10. John 1.16. Of his fullness have we all received grace for grace. Look to his principles, and they are the same, love to God, and to the word of God, and will of God; this is his meat and drink, as it was Christ's, John 4.34. Thus it was with David, Psalm 119.97. O how love I thy law, it is my meditation all the day. Look to his ends, they are like Christ's, the honour and glory of God, and the good of other souls, as we find, Phil. 1.21.24. But to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. So that all things considered, there is more agreement and conformity betwixt the life of Christ and a true christian, then there is disagreement, or nonconformity; they agree in more than they do differ in; but the life of a halting christian is so far short of following, that he is not any way like him; so that upon this account, he that is but almost a Christian does very little in all that he does, because it is no way proportioned to the life of Christ, which is the copy after which every christian must write.   

DEMONST. 2.  
As all that such a man does, is but little in comparison of Christ whom he is to intitate: so also it is but little in comparison of what the Saints do; he comes very far short of the very weakest of the people of God, in these two particulars.  
1. In actual performances; weigh what he does, and it is little to what a true christian does.  
2. Look to his desires and designs, and they fall yet more abundantly short.  
1. To their performances: and a man that is truly wrought upon, sticks at no duty, he yields obedience to all the commands of God impartially; but the other professes with reserves, and yields obedience with respect to credit, or ease, or profit, or the peace of his own conscience, and such a man will not, cannot go so far as a sound and throughly persuaded christian.  
2. He does not only do all that is commanded, but he exerciseth some grace in every thing that he doth; and upon this account it may be truly said, the least true believer does more in the least gracious performance than all the formalists, and half christians in the world do, if they were all put together. What was the reason that the Widows mite was greater than all the Pharisees great gifts? because there was grace in that gift, this raised the value of it so much; so the least exercise of grace is more than all the guilded performances of these half-christians: Though these can pray, and hear, and preach, and discourse, and give alms, yet they cannot exercise any grace in these, there is nothing of Christ in these; and therefore they are of no value. One duty of a true believer hath more weight and worth in it, than all that such men ever did, or will do (while they are such) to the end of the world.  
Secondly, as they fall short of the Saints in action, so much more in design; for in this there is no more comparison betwixt a formal half-christian, and a sound christian, then is betwixt finite and infinite; for the desire and aim of a gracious soul as I have shown you, is after infinite holiness; it knows no bounds, and therefore cannot be compared with any thing that is limited, and bounded within a compass, as the persuasions and professions of one that is but almost a Christian are. Now though the Law takes no notice of intentions, or of desires, or designs to do a thing that is not done, but looks only to action, which is the perfection of intentions: yet the gospel sets a high esteem upon this where it is sound and true; and the Lord accepts this, and esteems it as if it were brought forth into act, as in David, 1 Kings 8.18. yea and he measures actions by this, as being a supplement unto them; yea this makes small things seem very great, when they are weighed, because they were done with great desire and affection, and in a design to some greater thing. Upon this account there is no proportion betwixt the desires and designs of one that is but almost a christian, and him that is altogether such; for the latter hath a greater reach with him in all that he doth, & docs as far exceed him, as that which is infinite does exceed that which is finite.   

DEMONS. 3.  
He that is but almost a christian, does but little, if you compare what he does with what he omits. He seems to do many things, but all that he does is not like that which he omits, which will be manifest upon these two accounts.  
1. He does fewer things than he neglects.  
2. He performs small things, and omits great. Perhaps he may be said to do many things with Herod, Mark 6.20. that is in comparison of former days; he began to observe many things which he made light of before, but these many things compared with the things which he ought to have done, would seem a very few. This I could easily show you, if I should open the life of a christian, and the duties of it, and show you how exceeding broad the commands of God are; and when you did see how wide and deep these are, you would easily see how short and weak such a man's obedience is; but this will be too large a task at this time: yet I shall give you a hint of this, to clear the truth before us.  
A formal professor may do much to the observation of others, yet it is but little of what he ought to do, if we consider,  
First, that his obedience to the commands does principally lie in negatives. He considers not so much what the command requires, as what it prohibits, and he pleases himself rather in abstaining from evil, then in doing of good, in being reform, then in being renewed; he thinks it enough that he turns from sin, though he turn not to God; this is the first thing such a man looks to, as the Pharisee, I thank God I am not as other men.  
2. If he look to the preceptive part of the command, he is low and carnal in this; for he does not look to the spirituality of the Law; thus the Pharises did, and the Papists do, who taught the people to be zealous of some few things, but neglected many more than they taught. In somuch that Christ told the people, that if their righteousness did not exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharises, they should in no wise enter into the kingdom of God.  
That which is the reason of his falling short in both these, is this; he takes the common sense which men put upon the commands of God, and observing them in their sense, he seems to do much; but in the sense which God puts upon the word, he does nothing; thus while Paul walked by the interpretation of the commands which the Pharisees did put upon them, he in his own account is blameless. Phil. 3.6. but when he began to see the spirituality of the law, and to look upon it in the sense and meaning of the spirit, than Rom. 7.9. Sin revived, and he died. While we look upon the command of God with a carnal and common eye, there is little duty discovered thereby; but let us look aright upon it, and every command will convince of much sin, and discover much duty: much more sin than many are convinced of, and much more duty than they submit unto, and then we shall see that they omit more duty than they perform. I will give you an instance in one command. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Such men think that nothing is condemned here but Atheism, to have no God at all, or idolatry in worshipping of stocks & stones, not minding that these things are condemned as sins against this command;  
1. Ignorance of God: for how can we have him as our God, whom we know not?  
2. Unbelief: if we know him, and do not believe what he speaks by promise, or by threats; for when we fly from the word of God, and go to any thing else to help us, we make a god, and say, It is safer to rely here then there; and when we do not fear the threat, but run to this or that shelter, we make that our god, as if we could be defended from the power & justice of God.  
3. Want of love to God, or not loving him suitable to himself: to acknowledge him to be God, and not to love him, is a contradiction: and to say we love him, and yet not to love him intensely with all our hearts, and with all our might, is not to love him as our God.  
4. The overloving of any creature: this is the setting up of another god; when we set up any thing in our affections, and in our esteem in the highest place, this is the setting up of another god, because we set up something in the place of God.  
5. Pride of spirit: setting up too high an esteem of ourselves, and of our own wisdom or righteousness; this is the setting up of another god; therefore David lays the reason of neglecting God and his worship here; Psalm 10.4. out of the pride of their heart, they will not seek after God.  
6. Carnal joy: to delight in any thing so much as in God, and his worship and ways, is idolatry also. That which brings in most comfort is our god: if God will ever be a Heaven to us, his worship and service must be our Heaven here.  
7. Lukewarmness in his service: for to have no God, and to worship him as if he were none, is all one; and to set up a god of silver or stone, or to worship God as if he were no better, and knew not the heart, are things of the same import.  
8. Slightness of spirit: which is when either we suffer our hearts and thoughts to wander we know not, and care not whether, and think not upon God, or when we think slightly of him; the first of these David observes as a sufficient ground of the Atheism of many in his time, Psalm 10.4. God is not in all his thoughts; and God himself seems to take special notice of the second, and threatens sore for it, Psalm 50.21. thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself.  
9 Neglect of seeking God: this is a great breach of this command; public and private neglect of this duty. God puts those men amongst the heathens himself, Jer. 10.25, Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy Name.  
10. Unthankfulness for mercy received; this is a principle in the light of nature that we must acknowledge God in all that we enjoy; therefore the heathenish idolaters did never obtain any great victory, or enjoy any great thing, but they did sacrifice to, and praise their gods. To have a God, and not to call upon him by prayer, and thanksgiving, not to take our comforts out of his hands by the one, and put them into his hands by the other, is to say we have no God, and to say we have no need of him, which is an ungodding of him. Thus I might show you in other commands how much sin is reproved which a formalist is not convinced of; and as there is much in the negative part of this command which he sees not; so there is a preceptive part which he considers not, which is to have God for our God, and this requires many things.  
1. That we know God; for without knowledge of God we cannot have him for ours.  
2. Acknowledgement of him; we must own and profess him to be ours, and to be what he is to us.  
3. Believing in him; we must take his word as the best assurance, and receive all his commands and threaten for truth.  
4. To love him as the chiefest good, and to desire communion with him as being the chiefest blessing: for to account any thing better, or to desire any thing like him, is not to have him for our God. We must say as David, Psalm 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee, neither have I desired in the earth any thing in comparison of thee.  
5. To fear him, and to tremble at his word: therefore the worshipping of God is set out thus by the Prophet, Isai. 8.13. Make him your dread and your fear, Isai. 66.2.  
6. We must delight in him above all things: for the chiefest good enjoyed must needs breed the greatest joy that is possible in the hearts of the creatures.  
7. To be zealous for his glory: we do not serve him as God, unless we serve him with very intense affections, and set up his glory above all glory, and mind his honour & glory as God himself doth mind it, who seeks it in every thing he doth. These and many more duties are required in this command; as, To remember him at all times, to have him before your eyes in the creatures, and our hearts in meditation; to call upon him in all straits, to be thankful to him in all enjoyments, to seek his favour in all conditions, and to labour to preserve the evidences we have of it above all precious things. This is to have God for our God; thus you might see if I should run through other commands of God, that they are exceeding broad; and that the man that seems to be almost a Christian, does but little in comparison of what he omits; the sins which he refrains by his interpretation of the command, are few to what the command forbids, and the duties which he performs, are few of those which the command requires, and he neglects. In this respect the formalist half-christian does less than he leaves undone, because he does some duties which lie more visible in the Word; but such as are not so easily seen, and generally acknowledged he omits; he performs public duties which come under common observation, but he omits private duties, which are more than the public duties of a christian, and he abstaines from the gross and public sins of the outward man, but makes no conscience of the sins of the heart, and thoughts, which are more than the sins of the outward man.  
Besides all this, in every duty which he performs, he omits more than he performs; the duties of a christian are complicated; there is no duty performed singly, if it be performed aright. Many things must concur in the right performance of any duty; as for example, if a man comes to hear the word, there is much more required in that duty, than the bare hearing or attending to what is said, or the carrying it away with us in our books, or in our memories, or the repeating of it when we come home to our families, though many do not mind thus much that hear the word; there are these three things especially to be minded in the right performing of this duty.  
1. To prepare for it.  
2. To keep the heart in it.  
3. To be careful of the word, and our hearts after it; he hath not heard the word aright that hath not heard it thus. Now in every one of these there are many things required, as in preparing to it we are,  
First, to get our hearts affected with the pretiousness of the word that we are to hear.  
Secondly, to consider, and be humble under our natural deadness and inability to profit by the word.  
Thirdly, to mourn over our former unprofitableness.  
Fourthly, to get a sense of the wants of our souls.  
Fifthly, to heighten our resolutions of cleaving unto the Lord, and to bring a full purpose of heart with us to the Ordinance, to submit to all that God shall say. In the hearing of the word we are required,  
FIRST, to see if our hearts be present.  
SECONDLY, to keep God in our eye, and to make him our dread and our fear, and to get our hearts affected with the consideration of his majesty.  
THIRDLY, to take part with every word of conviction, and to receive truth, and to side with it, though it strike at a right eye, or a right hand.  
After the hearing of the word, the duty is not ended; for than it must be thy care,  
First, to keep those impressions alive, which the Word hath made upon thy soul.  
Secondly, to have a special care of the bent of the heart tolabour to prevent backsliding.  
Thirdly, to inquire whether thou hast profited by the Ordinance, and how.  
Fourthly, to cover the Word by prayer, and meditation, as the Husbandman doth the seed, lest the fowls of the air steal it away.  
Fifthly, to put that speedily in practice which the word hath convinced aught to be done, or to lay that down which the word says must be left. Thus it is in praying, and every other duty; there are many things to be minded, and done in every duty which the half christian doth not mind; and while he only looks to the visible part of it, and neglects all these concomitant duties, he does manifestly omit more than he does perform; thus it is manifest in the first sense, that such a man does perform less than he does omit, because he omits many things, and performs but few; he does little in comparison of what he omits, if we consider that the things which he omits are greater than those which he doth perform; he is careful and strict in some things, but they are little things; but he neglects the great and weighty things of God; as it was said of the Scribes and Pharisees, they paid tith of Mint and Commin, but neglected the great and weighty matters of the Law. He omits those duties which are of greatest account, in which the life and power of godsiness lies; he is in the form of Religion, but minds not the spirit and strength of it, which consisteth not in praying, reading, hearing, receiving of Sacraments, giving of Alms, or abstaining from the outward acts of it, but it lies in the frame and disposition of the heart to God-ward in all these. It lies in the fearing and loving of God, believing and delighting in him; this is that which God eyes and values in every duty. But he that is not altogether a christian, is not acquainted with these things; he is not acquainted with heart-examination, or watching over his thoughts, he cares not about the ordering of his heart aright in duties, and the exercising of grace in them. Now alas, when these things are abstracted from duties, what are they? they are nothing in God's account, and so for all his reformation it is very little, when we consider it is but in the outward man; when he abstains from the outward acts of sin, but not from the inward; his reformation is not mortification, and alas all outward reformation hath little in it in comparison of the mortification of the least sin, so that if you set his duties against his neglects either in number or weight, it is manifest he doth but little to what he leaves undone.   

DEMONSTRATION 4.  
He that is but almost a Christian, is but little a Christian, because there is very little in that little he does; it is of little account and esteem with God, nor with good men, and that upon several accounts.  
First, because his heart is not in what he does, and that being not in it, which God calls especially for, he values it not; when the children of Israel did continue the worship of God, and observation of many things commanded, he charges them as if it had been will-worship, because it was not worship according to his will. Who hath required these things at your hands, says he, Isai. 1.12.  
Secondly, such men's obedience will not be owned at the last day, when Christ shall come and survey every man's work at the great day; he will say to such as come with such, half convictions and performances, I know you not.  
Thirdly, there will come a time when such persons themselves will be made to see and to acknowledge that there is but little in all that they have done when they shall be forced to cry out as the foolish Virgins did, Our lamps are gone out, Mat. 25.8.  
Fourthly, Satan will make but a very slender account of all that these men do, or have done; alas how easily will he shake such men's hopes and confidence, as a reed is shaken with the wind? In time of temptation how does he batter their resolutions, and in time of sickness or death? how will he take the house which they have built, and pluck it down about their ears? he will make nothing of the storming of such a soul, but will lay their strength in the dust in a moment. This Job intimates, Job. 27.7, 8. that at such a time the hypocrites own heart will reproach him.  
Fifthly, all that such a man does is so little, that it is not worthy to be compared with the least performance of a gracious heart; he that does least, and does it sincerely, does more than he that does most in a way of formality; for there is more done in the least act in which grace is exercised, then in all those things in which gifts and parts are exercised without grace for this is that only which makes things down-weight with God. Upon this account it was that the Lord Jesus set a higher value upon the gift of the poor Widow, who cast in two mites, then upon all the great gifts of the Scribes and Pharisees.  
Sixthly, there is so little in all that is done without grace, that God accounts it worse than nothing, he reckons it as profaneness: it is with God no more than the cutting off a dogs neck, Isai. 66.3.  
Last of all, how ever the profession and performances of such a man may seem great, yet they will appear very small by that time deductions are made for what is to be deducted; do but deduct out of his performances,  
Consid. 1. what is done upon low carnal principles, and what is done upon base ends and interests of his own, there will be very little left of all that he seems to do; as for example, Jehu went very far in observing many of the commands of God, and appeared very zealous in the prosecution of them; but by that time we abate Jehu for his own interest, and for the settlement of the kingdom in his own hand, we shall find little left standing upon the account of obedience to the command; yea when the Lord reckons up what Jehu had done by one of the Prophets with these deductions, he calls not what he had done obedience, or zeal for the Lord, but murder, Hos. 1.4. such interpretations may those actions have, which in themselves are good, and carry a great appearance with them of obeying and honouring God, when they are weighed with the dregs or dross of those false principles and ends which are with those that perform the same.  
Con. 2 If you be not Christians in good earnest, all that you do will but aggravate your sins; your compliance with God in some things will not excuse, but aggravate your breach with him in other things; this will bring your sins under other aggravating circumstances, which other men's sins do not fall under; your sins will be judged hypocrisies in that they were under a profession, and sins against knowledge in that they were under convictions, and contempt of Christ and his ways, in as much as Christ came so near to you in the word, and yet you put him by.  
Consid. 3. you have the least, or will have the least to say for yourselves of any people. Of all men, halters in Religion will have the least excuse. We find when the Prophet Elijah dealt with the children of Israel in this case; they were all silent before him; one man strikes a whole congregation dumb when he charges this sin upon them; they who use to have their excuses and pleas at hand in all other cases, have none in this, 1 King 18.21. The people answered not a word. Of all men in the world, these will be left without excuse; and of all sins, halting and lukewarmness will appear in their nakedness.  
4. You are the greatest dishonour to God of any people; you dishonour the Father, the Son, and the Spirit; for men look upon you as men serving and owning God, and they judge of God, and his worship, by you.  
First, you dishonour the Father; men have low thoughts of his majesty, and holiness, when they see those who go under the notion of professors, and owners of the ways of God, to be slight and cold in his worship; when they see the spirits of men that worship God cold in it, and stinted, and shut up in such and such a compass of profession, setting bounds to themselves! this and that they will do, and no more. Oh how can men think that the God whom you have to do withal is a holy God. Oh the mean and base thoughts men do harbour of God, from the beholding the lukewarm conversations of such half christians!  
Secondly, dishonour Christ and the gospel under which you live; oh my friends, is it not a reproach to Christ, that it should be said, This life which you live in, is that life which Christ came to purchase, & for which he laid down his life; did Christ come to give life, yea and abundance of life? john 10.10. and is this that life? Is that life which many of us live (who would be accounted partakers of the life of Christ) like that life which Christ came to give? the Evan gelist says, we receive grace for grace from him; but where is it, & when it is exercised? Ah my friends Christ is reproached in this, when we call and account that the life of Christ, which is but an abomination to him; Nay this is a reproach to the gospeltimes, in which was promised a greater measure of grace to be poured forth, and that God would give a more choice and excellent spirit to his people, Zachary 12.10. But do not the low and lukewarm tempers of many pretended Christians bring mean thoughts upon the gospel, and the times of it, while they live much below the professors of religion in the times of the law?  
3. It is a reproach to the spirit of God, whose office it is to sanctify and renew the heart of his people: what honour does the Scripture put upon this? it calls it The beauty of holiness, Psalm 110: 3. as if there were no beauty but this. Now what a vilifying of the spirit of God is it, to set up a dead, cold, heartless profession without life and vigour instead of the sanctifying work of the Spirit of God? as if we should say, Lo this is all that the spirit works in the hearts of God's people. Doubtless it is from hence that men and women have such mean and low thoughts of sanctification, because they see so little in the lives of those that profess it, and many do believe that it is nothing but a pretence and a shadow, and a notion taken up amongst men; and if they do but go to Church sometimes, and say their prayers, and believe as the Church believes, they are as much sanctified as any▪ for they see no more in others then in themselves, but that some can talk more than they. Thus I say the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, they are all vilified, and all by reason of those who call themselves christians, but are not; and if there be a woe to that man by whom offences come, then much more woe to those men by whom all these offences come.  
Cons. 5. You are the greatest blots to religion in the world: All the Apostasies of Professors which have hardened many men's hearts against Religion, have risen from the midst of you: There was never an Apostate in the world, but he was first a lukewarm professor. Look to all the gross and damnable errors which have broken forth, and the horrible Apostasies which have been from the profession of the truth, and they sprung up amongst those who have been halters with God; Some that have seemingly, and in part received the truth, but have not received it in the love of it. These are the people which God hath given up to strong delusions, and are swept away with abominable errors, and these have fallen away in time of temptation, because they were not rooted and grounded in the truth; but there was never any one did Apastatize and fall away wholly and fully from the truth that was altogether a Christian. If you would not be Apostates from the truth, pray that your hearts may be sound in the statutes of the Lord, Ps. 119.80.  
Consid. 6. You are men upon whom the Devil hath the greatest advantage of any men in the world; he chooses you out as instruments to carry on all his great works, and to further his grand designs in the world; by your help it is, that he manages all the affairs of his kingdom: it is a dreadful thing to think that you should be the chief pillars of Satan's throne; he choses not out the profane, because they are too gross, they will be easily discovered; he cannot easily engage the godly, because they will discover him: the first he uses not because they are not so fit for his work; the second he cannot engage, because they do not like his work; but when he cannot speed any where else, than he comes to you the formalist and lukewarm professor, who never fails him; but amongst these he finds instruments enough, and those he most uses for his transactions; therefore the devil made use of Judas, and of the false brethren in the Churches, and of the Scribes and Pharises against Christ, and the devout women against Paul, Gal. 2.4. Acts 13.15. he uses these rather than any other.  
First, because these are most able to hurt the people of God, knowing their ways and counsels as the false brethren did, 2 Cor. 11.26.  
Secondly, because their opposition to religion seems to carry in it some weight, and reason, and men judge there is some great evil in it which these men see, or they would never oppose. The Scribes and Pharisees would not so oppose as they do, if they did not see more evil in these things than we do, John 7.48. Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees believed on him?  
Thirdly, it is greater reproach to religion and to the professors of it, when the devil can engage some against it that have professed it: as the Lord wounds the kingdom of Satan by conversion: so doth Satan wound the kingdom of Christ by tempting men to Apostasy.  
7. You are the greatest hinderers of the salvation of other men; for many have their eyes upon you, and they reason thus with themselves; these men are wise men, and civil men, they are good men, and will be wary, they know what they do, and we will follow them, we will go no farther than they go. Many more that will not take a Drunkard, or profane Swearer for example in Religion, will take one of you for a precedent, whom he sees to walk civilly, and morally in your conversations, and perhaps he will give more heed to you, because of your wisdom and wariness in the world, then to those who walk more close with God; as we see the people looked more to the Scribes and Pharisees then to Christ, and it was not the Publican that kept off so many from Christ, but the Pharisee; so I say that woe may fall upon you which was pronounced against them, and it is a fearful one, Mat. 23.11. because they neither entered into the kingdom of heaven themselves nor yet suffered those who were entering in to go in.  
Cons. 8. You are a people of whom the Lord speaks no good, God is so tender that he will not pass by any good where ever he finds it; if it be never so small, he will not pass it over without observation; yet when he speaks of such as you are, he cannot afford them one good word; we find the Lord who will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, would take notice of some good that was in Abijah who was of Jeroboams house. 1. King. 14.13. when he comes to speak of the Church of Laodicea who was of this lukewarm temper, he speaks never a word in commendation of her, Rev. 3.17. She had high thoughts of herself, but God thought not so of her. He reproves the rest of the Churches for their sins and threatens sore, but he commends some good in every one except Laodicea; thus I say the Lord will speak no good of you; you may perhaps think as highly of yourselves as she did, but at the last day are like to hear the worst of yourselves of any generation of men whatsoever.  
Cons. 9 God doth not only speak no good of them, but they are of all sorts of men most despised of him, We use to say he is poor that God hates; surely then the half Christian is a poor man; if there be any one poor under heaven, for no man carries such a brand of infamy and reproach upon him as he doth. God does abominate such a man more than he does the profane Esau, or the scoffing Ishmael, or the unclean Sodomites; men that are down right Atheists, or plain Idalators, or that have no pretences to the fear or service of God are not such an abhorring to God as these men are? I will convince you by two, or three instances of this, that you may see and fear to rest in such a state as this is; see such a temper compared with him who has no religion at all, Rev. 3.15. I know thy works, that thou are neither cold nor hot, I would thou wert cold or hot, God wishes they were rather stark cold. God had rather men had no pretence to religion at all, that they were stupid, and had no life nor motion at all, then to move thus; better be without sense, than not to have a true sense; better have no convictions nor stir under the Word, nor pretence to love or fear God, than not to be in good earnest; better to do nothing, then to stick at any thing. Now this must needs be a sad profession which God dislikes rather than no profession.  
Secondly, see it compared with idolatry, which of all sins which do openly show themselves, does most affront God to his face; and therefore the Lord threatens the setting up of Idols in his jealousy, in the second Commandment; the Drunkard, the Swearer, the unclean person, do not so openly oppose God as the Idolater, because he does manifestly ungod him. But he that is a downright idolater, is not so bad as he that is a halter in the worship of God; the Prophet complains of the present temper of the children of Israel, that they did halt betwixt two opinions, they would not cleave to Baal, nor yet to God, 1 King. 18.21. And Elijah said unto all the people, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him: so it may be said to the half Christian, why do you halt betwixt a Baal, and God? to have a heart divided betwixt God and corruption, is worse than to serve sin with all the heart.  
Thirdly, see it compared with open profaneness; we find the servant who did but comply with the wicked and profane, in eating and drinking with them that were drunken, yet threatened more than all the rest, Mat. 24.49, 50, 51. The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not ware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. He did not cast off his subjection to his master altogether; he said not that he had no master, neither did he cast off the thoughts of his masters coming, but he removed them a little from him; and when he had done this, we do not find that he was a drunkard, but he began to associate with them, he began to neglect his duty, and to comply with the profane whom he should have kerbed; and now the Lord passes by them, and seems to take less notice of their open wickedness, then of his secret compliance with it; thus it is with many who will not be, or dare not be Swearers, or Drunkards, but they will keep a hand for the drunkard, or the scoffer, they will be the friends and familiar● with such in secret; they have not gotten so much zeal for God, and for his ways, as to despise a vile person, Psalm 15.4. but such as these God complains of by the Prophet, Hos. 7.8. Israel was a cake not turned; if you look upon their outside, they were Christians; but if you could see the inside, they were idolaters. Such God will spew out of his mouth, with the greatest loathing possible; he does most commonly cast them out of their profession here, and out of their Church-priviledges if they be under any, 1 Cor. 11.19. or if not here, when he comes to judgement, he will surely remember these; they shall be cast out before men and Angels, Mat. 24.51. they shall have their portion with hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth; these shall have a place in hell by themselves, the profanest sort of men will hiss them out of their company, the devils will stand off from them, because they seemed to be distinct from them in the world; and as for the godly, they shall be separated from them, because they were not of them. Thus these hypocrites shall have a place by themselves, and if any worse than other, it ●●al be theirs. As of all sorts of sinners, these are the worst, because hypocrites: so of all kind of hypocrites, these are worst. It is a great mistake amongst the common people who think none are hypocrites but they which make some extraordinary profession of Religion, they judge them to be hypocrites; and them only who make a greater profession than the common standard (by which the multitude measure their Religion) will allow of: so that none are reckoned for hypocrites, but those who are noted for professors. This I say is a great mistake; for there is not a wicked man or woman in this place, how profane soever, but is an hypocrite, for every one here does profess himself a Christian; and if it be not so, he is an hypocrite; there is not one here that will renounce all interest in Christ, or that will openly in words refuse obedience to him, yea there is not one here but does at some times, in some ways profess a subjection to him, and shall therefore at the last, not only be condemned with the profane, for saying Christ shall not reign over them, but they shall be judged with the Hypocrite for saying that they go when they go not, as the evil son, Matthew 21.30. who added a lie to his disobedience. But although amongst them that call themselves Christians; there be many kinds of hypocrites, and all that take the name of Christian upon them, are either Saints or hypocrites, yet these which are almost Christians, are the worst of hypocrites; he that is almost a Christian is of the highest form of hypocrites; the higher a man rises in profession, if it be not in truth, the higher he arises in hypocrisy; for he that does not follow God fully, when he is at the height, he is but almost a Christian, and that is but a raised piece of hypocrisy; and when a man is in this condition, this is his misery, that all his profession does but increase his sin, he is so much the more an elaborate hypocrite. Of all persons Christ cries out against these in the Scripture; how often does he cry out, Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites? for all the people of the Jews by virtue of their profession were such, who did not obey the truth. But these did excel in profession, they went beyond others in many degrees, and yet did not love the truth with all their hearts, therefore he cries out more against the Scribes and Pharisees, hypo●crites, then against the Publicans and harlots, Hypocrites, Mat. 22.13, 14, 15 23, 25 Christ did not cry out against these for Hypocrites for doing more than others, but for not doing what they ought to do; Hypocrisy lies not in making more profession than we ought, but in doing less than we do profess. Therefore although he condemned their hypocrisy, yet he commended their profession, and set people to imitate and exceed them, Mat. 5.20. Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven.  
Cons. 10. These are the greatest despisers of God, of Heaven, and holiness, of any people; these bring the greatest contempt upon the kingdom of Heaven of any, because they come in sight of it, and then go back, which is a manifest contempt. God was more angry with the people of Israel for talking of returning back to Egypt, when they were in the widerness, then for all their unwillingness to come out of Egypt. Nay, he was more offended at their unwillingness to go into Canaan, when they came upon the borders of it, then for all their murmuring at the red sea, especially when they had seen the fruit of it; this was a manifest contempt of the good land; for if they should have gone back after they came so near unto Canaan, it would have broughtmore discredit upon that land than if they had never stirred out of Egypt; for if they had refused to go out of Egypt, all men would have imputed it to their idleness; but if they had returned, the fault would have been laid upon the land. If a man passes by your shops, and inquires not for any commodity, you take little notice of him; but if he see your goods and cheapen them, and leave them, he either condemns the commodity or the seller, either it is not good, or it is too dear: So men that look not after Heaven, do but neglect it; but those who come to buy, and yet will not come up to the terms, these discredit it. When men come so near it as the young man did, who was offered it, and yet left it when there was but one thing lacking, these do bring the greatest dislike upon the things of God, of any men alive; for these men do in effect say, it is not so much worth; they say that God offers it at too dear a rate; and what greater reproach can there be cast upon the kingdom of heaven: then to say it is too dear? The profane sort of men do but neglect it, they never ask after it, they cheapen not; but the half Christian he sees and asks, and cheapens, but will not buy; this is a vilifying of it. This is your case, you that are almost christians; you will be found the greatest contemners of the ways of God; for other men fall short out of ignorance, as having not seen or known God; but you come oftentimes so near, that you see the kingdom of God, as Baalam did whose eyes were opened, you taste of the powers of the World to come, you are made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have found a sweetness in the good Word of God; for you now to stop here, or go back again, it must needs be a contemning of the Kingdom; you say as that young man did. There is not so much worth in the same to countervail the loss of all other things, Christ will put that interpretation upon your motions, which he did upon the Jews, John 15.24. For you have seen and hated both me and my Father. The sins of ignorant persons are accounted but neglect, but the sins of such as are convinced, will be judged hating of God; because such do knowingly cast away the offers of the Gospel, and refuse the kingdom of God, and their refusing is not a bare neglecting to receive it, but a despising of it.  
Consid. 11. Such men have the least pleasure of any. They stand betwixt the pleasures of the World, and the pleasures of the Saints, and enjoy neither. Such a man cannot share with the Epicure in the pleasures of the flesh, because of his convictions; these give a check to his lusts; so that he cannot take that liberty that his heart doth desire; his unhappiness is that his heart is not mortified to the love of sin, yet he is dead to the pleasure of sin; that which is sweet to others is bitter to him; not because he loves it not, but because he finds some gnawing of the worm of Conscience, which will not let him be quiet in his lusts. If he go to the Alehouse, he sits uneasily there, because Conscience accuses him; if he goes not thither, he is not quiet, because his heart is there. In the midst of his laughter, there is heaviness in his heart; in his sinful pleasures he is sad, and enjoys not what others do, or what he has done in former times: Time was, he could hearken to his carnal appetite in any thing and it was pleasant to him; but it is not so now; conscience either restrains him from the sin he loves, and this cannot please him, or else it withholds from him the pleasure of the sin he commits, and this must needs be sad. Beside this, he loseth the pleasure of duty, if Conscience puts him upon any duty, he loses also the pleasure of that, because it is not performed with an upright heart; he wants a new nature to make the duty pleasant unto him; he wants holy and spiritual affections in it, to make him delight in his work; and although in some Ordinances he may have some flashes of joy, yet he wants that constant spiritual comfort and refreshing which Gods people have in the service and worship of God; he cannot say that his chiefest joy lies in his duties; he cannot say as David, that God puts more this way into his heart then when Corn and Wine increaseth, Psa. 4.7. Nay, we find that this may be, and is the frame of such as find no comfort in following God, that they are burdened with duty; the people of Israel who delighted to approach unto God, as we find Isa. 58.2. they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, yet said, When will the Sabbath be over? Am. 8.5. And such as these do often upon this account Apostatise from the ways of God, and then they do reproach them most of any persons, as those hypocrites did, Mal. 3.14, who said It is in vain to serve God. Now lay these things together, and see in what a sad case these men are; they have neither the pleasures of the wicked, nor of the godly: Wicked men have their good things here, the godly have their good things hereafter. The wicked seem to have one Heaven, the godly hath sometimes two (a Heaven of peace and joy in the Holy ghost here, and a Heaven hereafter also) but the half Christian hath no Heaven, neither here nor hereafter. The open profane have one heaven the godly two, the hypoerite none. so that it may be said of them truly that they are of all men most miserable because their hope and comfort is only in this life, and yet it is nothing considerable to other men's.  
Consid. 12. Such men as these do lose themselves to all parties. They are esteemed of by none, though they design to be honoured of all. First of all they lose their credit and repute with their old companions by their profession. That reformation which they have made already, may perhaps make the profaner and loser sort cast them off as not fit for them. And although they despise them for their profession, yet the godly will not heart'ly embrace them they are as much dissatisfyed with their profession, that it is no more, as the other are troubled that it is so much. Thus they are cast off by their old friends before they are received of the new, and by this means they are destitute of both. The profane sort think they are too strict for them, and the godly suspect they are too large for them; they are too hot for the one, and too cold for the other; one thinks he looks too like a Puritan, and the other doubts he is too much a formalist, and upon this account he is deserted of both; like the Bat, which is in the body like a Mouse, and yet winged like a bird, is excluded from the society both of Birds and Beasts. They are placed betwixt the godly and the wicked, as some Divines have drawn Solomon's Picture, betwixt Heaven and Hell, not knowing in which to place him. If they should be placed among the profane they would be offended, having escaped the corruptions of the World through Lust; and if you place them among the Godly, you should wrong the generation of the just. I knew in my time in the University three Doctors heads of houses,  
One was an Innovator.  
The second accounted a Puritan.  
The third was reckoned a Neuter. A witty Scholar presented them thus.  
The first in a Coach driving to Rome.  
The second driving to Genevah.  
The third running on foot, begging sometimes the one, sometimes the other to receive him, yet both refusing. Such are these Neuters in Religion, lest out by all. All those which are but almost christians, are but Neuters at the best. They are not what they were, and they are not what they would seem to be; and so being of neither kind, they are refused of both. It is hard for any man to make any profession of a change without troubling the prophaner part of men; and it is as hard for any man that is not truly changed, to make such a profession as to please the godly. The people of God will find out their cold formal spirits, under the most zealous profession that may be; that profession must be very handsomely put on, that must cover the old unregenerate heart for a time; but if it should do so, it is not like to hid it long from the eyes of God's people; and when this is once discovered, there is no greater abhorring to them.  
The Neuter still hath least friends, so hath the half Christian. He is despised by the profane, rejected of the godly, and loved hearty of none.  
Consid. 13. Such people are in greatest danger of being hardened of any. The light and knowledge which they have, together with the profession which they make, does but darken them, and thereby they are befooled into a good opinion of themselves, and rest quiet in their supposed good estate until the day of wrath comes upon them unawares: There is more hope of converting a profane wretch, than a formal professor. For a man hath more advantage upon such a one, having something more to take hold of in him, then in the other. If a man deal with a drunkard, swearer, or unclean person, you have his natural light, common received principles, and his conscience to take hold of, which will all take part with you in this case: But natural light, common principles and natural conscience will not serve to detect this man, they will all rather rise up and plead his cause. For a little profession and weak performances serve to quiet the Conscience, and make it lie down well satisfied. Him that Conscience would not suffer to be quiet in an Alehouse, nor in the pollutions of the World, yet may be quiet in the performance of some duties, though they be done without the exercise of any grace. It is harder to fasten a conviction upon such men's spirits, then upon any others, because their sins lie more inward, and are hid from the eyes of men; yea and therefore from the light of their own consciences. Hence it is that the Lord makes the conviction of unbelief so great a work Joh. 16.7.8. he says the spirit should come to convince of this. Natural conscience does convince of drunkenness and swearing, of idolatry and uncleaness, but it doth not convince of unbelief, because this is a sin of the heart. Nay, Unbelief is not always alike easy to be detected, it is more easily discovered when it lies under profaneness, then when it lies under profession; it is easier to convince a drunkard unbeliever, or an unclean unbeliever, than a praying unbeliever; because his unbelief lies more curiously hid, and is where we would not expect. Hence it is that the Scribes and Pharisees were so hardly convinced, and so few of them were converted by the preaching of the Gospel; yea the Publicans and the Harlots entered into the kingdom of God before them; when the word took hold of the Publicans and Harlots they confessed their sins and were humbled, but the Scribes and Pharises justified themselves; Conscience accused one, and excused the other; therefore one was convinced and converted, but the other was lifted up and hardened.  
Consid. 14. He that is but almost a christian, is in a sad condition, because of the miserable disappointments of the last day: doubtless this is one of the woes pronounced against those who are lifted up to Heaven, and from thence cast down to Hell. To fall from such hopes and confidence, and presumptions, as many half christians have, to a state of misery (as much below other men, as their hopes were above theirs) must needs be an extremity of misery, to fall down a precipice, from an expectation and assurance of happiness, to be plunged in endless and remediless grief, & horror; this must needs be a double Hell. These are the men and women that have punishment of loss as well as sense. The punishment of loss is nothing so considerable to other men, as it is to them. For, for a man to lose that which he neither had, nnr hoped for, nor cared for, is but small to what it is to him that hoped it, attempted it, and concluded himself in a manner possessed of it. A man that never meant to go to Sea, nor cared for merchandizing, laments not that he hath not the riches of the Indies, because he never studied for, nor endeavoured it. But the Merchant that victuals & man's his ship, and goes along voyage and fails of his design in the very Continent, or that is taken coming back, or is forced to cast all over board in a storm, when he is within sight of his own shore, he is tormented with this loss, feels it, and smarts under it. The very loss of such a man's hopes, is as great an affliction as can befall him. Thus doubtless the bare loss of Heaven, will be a Hell to the half Christian, and will fill his soul with inconceivable sorrow. Beside the punishment of his hypocrisy (which shall increase his pain) he shall be more tightly tortured with the sense of his loss then other men, which will be like a gnawing Worm continually afflicting his soul, and, will be as bad, if not worse, than all the devils can inflict upon him. Was it not think you a sad aggravation of the misery of the foolish Virgins, (who kept company all their days with the wise) to be separated from them, and to be reckoned with the transgressors? Oh were they not in hell in their spirits, as soon as they saw their Lamps gone out? what a darkness was then upon the face of their souls? utter darkness, and despairing thoughts, blacker than any that ever covered the face of Egypt. Was not (think you) their trouble greatly increased by the accession of this evil unto the rest, that this was an un looked for grief? they risen to trim their lamps with confidence of being able to walk by the light of their Lamps, as well as the other. But when they came to the door, and found that shut against them, and cried, Lord, Lord, and had no other language, but I know you not; how do you think their hearts could hold any longer? Did they not now break, and did they not now begin to beat their wretched breasts faster than they had beaten at the door, and lament themselves, wishing that they could but find any place to hid themselves from his power, who could not get into his favour? And all this being carried back to their former condition, must needs afflict them; they a few hours since had their Lamps burning, and shops open, where they might have bought oil for their vessels; but now their Lamps are gone out, and the shops are all shut, and no provision is laid up, nor none to be gotten for eternity.  
Oh it was not many hours since, that they had strong hopes of being saved, but now they have none; Oh now they wish they had that hope again, or wish they had never hadany, that the remembrance of it might not torment them; but this cannot be? they can neither recover what they have lost, nor forget what they had. What do you think is the condition of these poor souls? are not they in hell already? is it needful to cast them into another hell? surely the punishment of loss doth deeply afflict them, and if they should be left under the bare sentence of an exclusion from the kingdom of God, they would suffer in some proportion with the rest of the damned; what then will be their misery, when they shall be thrown amongst the damned and cast into utter darkness? Oh my friends think on these things, and take heed that this be not your case. I fear it will be thus with some of you that are here, that some of you will be found dead like the Levites concubine, with your hands upon the threshold of the house and Kingdom of God; some of you that have had great convictions, made great promises, made some attempts upon reformation, taken up a profession, and gone so far as to give some hope to others, perhaps much more to yourselves take heed that you do not fall from this hope; if you do it will be more tolerable for them of Sodom and Gomorrah then for you. Thus I have given you a glance of the sad and woeful estate of such as are almost Christians, and though what I have said may convince you, that such as these are in a miserable condition; yet words are too weak, and our conceptions are all too shallow to express, or take in the inexpressible and inconceivable wretchedness of the men of this rank and order in the world: That which Francis Spira breathed out in agony of his soul, when he felt a Hell kindled in his conscience, these men will breathe out at last in Hell. Oh what a fearful thing it is (said he) to be almost a Christian.    

CONCLUSION. Some Directions how to avoid this evil temper.  
BUt you will say, How shall I do to avoid this evil frame and temper which you have discovered? what shall we do that we may not be half Christians? I shall shut up the application of this Doctrine, with a few directions to you that desire to be Christians indeed.  
1. Direct. If thou wouldst be altogether a christian, then labour to be very exact in thy first works of Christianity; if thou wouldst build high, be sure to lay the foundation well; make a good beginning, if ever thou wouldst see a good end. It was the Lord's advice to the church of Ephesus, Rev. 2.5. and there can be no better given. Do thy first works, labour to revive the sense of sin which thou hadst at first, and call to mind how apprehensive thou wert of thy need of Christ; renew thy close with Christ, and choose him afresh as if thou hadst never chosen him: Be often in these first works; for though half christians are defective in many things, yet the ground and reason of all their defects lies in this, that they were never right and sound in the beginning. Their first works of closing with Christ, and humbling their souls for sin, was never truly performed yet; and whatever is built where the foundation is weak will fall.  
2. Direct. Study Gospel perfection, for know God requires a perfection now under the Gospel, as well as he did under the Law; though that perfection which the Law requires, cannot be attained now by any, yet there is another perfection suited to the Gospel, and to thy state and condition required (viz. First a perfection of Desire.  
Secondly of design; it is not a bare desire, but of desires combined and strongly contriving to attain the end.  
Thirdly, Of endeavours; these designs are not the bare secret workings of the thoughts, and the idle thoughts of the sluggard, who would have his work done, if it could be done with thinking while he lies and stretches himself upon his bed; but these designs must be brought forth into act, and backed with all the use of the means which may further and facilitate such a work.  
Fourthly, There is a perfection of self resignation; though thou canst not serve the Lord perfectly with any member of the body, or any faculty of the soul, yet thou must resign all these to the Lord, to labour to serve the Lord, both actively and pasvely, by and with all these.  
3. Direct. Keep a deep and tender sense of thy own failings to humble thee, and to quicken thee to look after this perfection; for nothing makes men sit down short of this, but pride of spirit, and want of a due search and inquiry into their own defections; it was this which made Paul press forward, Phil. 3.12, 13, 14. I count not that I have yet apprehended, and surely, thou wilt so account of thyself; if thou dost but take an account of thy daily failings; but pride of spirit and an oversight of our own spiritual wants and weaknesses, makes us sit down short of the mark, as high conceited Laodicea did, Rev. 3.17.  
4. Direct. Be much in eyeing of Jesus Christ, who is thy true pattern, by whom thou art to walk, and to whom thou oughtest to be conformed, 1 Jo. 2.6. He that says that he abides in Christ, aught to walk even as Christ walked. Nothing doth so much stint and straighten the spirits of men, as the looking too low, and mean examples of holiness; but surely if we did look to the Lord Jesus, whose life is laid before us so eminently in the word, we should see cause enough to be humbled when we are at highest, and not sit down under any attainments, seeing we fall short so far of him who is our pattern.  
5. Direct. Be sure to make conscience of the inward and hidden part of duties, make Conscience of that which no eye sees but the Lords. Men may see the outward acts, and the external ornaments as flourishes of gifts and parts, but have thou a chief care to exercise grace in every thing; for this is that which makes thee pass for a Christian before God, whatever makes thee seem such before men. If thou dost thus, thy vessel shall not be found empty at last, nor thou be condemned for an empty outside professor.  
6. Direct. Never think thyself enough a Christian, so long as thou findest any so much a Christian as thyself. You know when men run in a race together, a man does not content himself to run as fast as others, but if any comes up with him, or near him, it makes him strive, and put forth all his strength in running, that he may keep still in the head of the company, and lead the way to all. He fears if any one should come up with him, that he would take the prize from him; thus it should be with a Christian, who should thus run, if he would obtain, 1 Cor. 9.24. not as it were to get a prize with others, but a price from all others.  
Lastly, whatever thy condition be, or how great soever thy attainments are, yet labour to be much more a christian then thou art; if thou shouldest excel all others, yet then make it thy business to excel thyself; so shalt thou be sure not to fall under the weight of this heavy word, which hath been spoken to those who are but almost Christians.   
FINIS.