Matthew Mead · 7 of 17

Question I. How far may a man go in the way to heaven, and yet be but almost a Christian? · Part 2

Now then, if a man may confess sin merely out of custom; if he may confess lesser sins, and yet conceal greater; if he may confess sin only in the general, or only under extremity, or if he may confess sin without any intent to forsake sin, then surely a man may confess sin, and yet be but almost a Christian.

Fourthly, A man may forsake sin, and yet be but almost a Christian; he may leave his lust, and his wicked ways, which he sometimes lived in, and in the judgment of the world become a new man, and yet not be a new creature. Simon Magus, when he hears Philip preaching concerning the kingdom of God, leaves his sorcery and witchcraft, and believes.

Objection. But you will say, this seems contrary to Scripture; for that says, “He that confesseth and forsaketh sin, shall have mercy;” but I confess sin, yea, not only so, but also I forsake sin; sure therefore this mercy is my portion, it belongs to me.

Answer. It is true, that where a soul forsakes sin from a right principle, after a right manner, to a right end; where he forsakes sin as sin, as being contrary to God, and the purity of his nature—this declares that soul to be right with God, and the promise shall be made good to it, “He shall find mercy.”

But now pray mind, there is a forsaking sin that is not right, but unsound.

1. Open sins may be deserted, and yet secret sins may be retained; now this is not a right forsaking; such a soul shall never find mercy. A man may be cured of a wound in his flesh, and yet may die of an imposthume in his bowels.

2. A man may forsake sin, but not as sin; for he that forsakes sin as sin, forsakes all sin. It is impossible for a man to forsake sin as sin, unless he forsakes all that he knows to be sin.

3. A man may let one sin go to hold another the faster; as a man that goes to sea, would willingly save all his goods; but if the storm arises that he cannot, then he throws some overboard to lighten the vessel, and save the rest. So did they, Acts xxvii. 38. So the sinner chooses to keep all his sins; but if a storm arises in his conscience, why then he will heave one lust overboard, to save the life of another.

4. A man may let all sin go, and yet be a sinner still; for there is the root of all sin in the heart, though the fruit be not seen in the life; the tree lives, though the boughs be lopped off. As a man is a sinner, before ever he acts sin, so (till grace renews him) he is a sinner, though he leaves sin; for there is original sin in him enough to damn and destroy him.

5. Sin may be left, and yet be loved; a man may forsake the life of sin, and yet retain the love of sin: now, though leaving sin makes him almost a Christian, yet loving sin shows he is but almost a Christian. It is a less evil to do sin, and not love it, than to love sin and not do it; for to do sin may argue only weakness of grace, but to love sin argues strength of lust. “What I hate, that I do.” Sin is bad in any part of man, but sin in the affection is worse than sin in the conversation; for sin in the conversation may be only from infirmity, but sin in the affection is the fruit of choice and unregeneracy.

6. All sin may be chained, and yet the heart not changed; and so the nature of the sinner is the same as ever. A dog chained up, is a dog still, as much as if he was let loose to devour.

There may be a cessation of arms between enemies, and yet the quarrel may remain on foot still: there may be a making truce, where there is no making peace.

A sinner may lay the weapons of sin out of his hand, and yet the enmity against God still remain in his heart. There may be a truce—he may not sin against him; but there can be no peace till he be united to him.

Restraining grace holds in the sinner, but it is renewing grace that changes his nature. Now. many are held in by grace from being open sinners, that are not renewed by grace, and made true believers.

Now then, if a man may forsake open sins, and retain secret sins; if he may forsake sin, but not as sin; if he may let one sin go, to hold another the faster; if a man may let all sin go, and yet be a sinner still; if sin may be left, and yet be loved: finally, if all sin may be chained, and yet the heart not changed;—then a man may forsake sin, and yet be but almost a Christian.

V. A man may hate sin, and yet be but almost a Christian.

Absalom hated Amnon’s uncleanness with his sister Tamar: yea, his hatred was so great, that he slew him for it; and yet Absalom was but a wicked man.

Objection. But the Scripture makes it a sign of a gracious heart, to hate sin; yea, though a man do, through infirmities, fall into sin, yet if he hates it, this is a proof of grace. Paul proves the sincerity of his heart, and the truth of his grace, by this hatred of sin, though he committed it: “What I hate, that I do.” Nay, what is grace but a conformity of the soul to God; to love as God loves, to hate as God hates? Now God hates sin: it is one part of his holiness to hate all sin. And if I hate sin, then am I conformed to God: and if I am conformed to God, then am I altogether a Christian.

Answer. It is true, that there is a hatred of sin, which is a sign of grace, and which flows from a principle of grace, and is grace. As for instance:

To hate sin, as it is an offence to God, a wrong to his majesty; to hate ’sin, as it is a breach of the command, and so a wicked controlling of God’s will, which is the only rule of goodness; to hate sin, as being a disingenuous transgression of that law of love established in the blood and death of Christ, and so, in a degree, a crucifying of Christ afresh. To hate sin, as being a grieving and quenching the Spirit of God, as all sin in its nature is.—Thus to hate sin, is grace; and thus every true Christian hates sin.

But, though every man that hath grace hates sin, yet every man that hates sin hath not grace: for, a man may hate sin from other principles, not as it is a wrong to God, or a wounding Christ, or a grieving the Spirit; for then he would hate all sin; for there is no sin but hath this in the nature of it. But,

1. A man may hate sin for the shame that attends it, more than for the evil that is in it. Some sinners there are, “who declare their sin as Sodom, and hide it not.” They are set down in the seat of the scornful; “they glory in their shame.” But now others there are who are ashamed of sin, and therefore hate it, not for the sin’s sake, but for the shame’s sake. This made Absalom hate Amnon’s uncleanness, because it brought shame upon him and his sister.

2. A man may hate sin more in others, than in himself: so doth the drunkard—he hates drunkenness in another, and yet practises it himself! the liar hates falsehood in another, but likes it himself. Now he that hates sin from a principle of grace, hates sin most in himself; he hates sin in others, but he loathes most the sins of his own heart.

3. A man may hate one sin as being contrary to another. There is a great contrariety between sin and sin, between lust and lust; it is the excellency of the life of grace, that it is a uniform life; there is no one grace contrary to another. The graces of God’s Spirit are different, but not differing. Faith, and love, and holiness, are all one: they consist together at the same time, in the same subject; nay, they cannot be parted. There can be no faith without love, no love without holiness; and so, on the other hand, no holiness without love; no love without faith. So that this makes the life of grace an easy and excellent life; but now the life of sin is a distracting contradictious life, wherein a man is a servant to contrary lusts: the lust of pride and prodigality is contrary to the lust of covetousness, &c. Now, where one lust gets to be the master-lust of the soul, then that works a hatred of its contrary. Where covetousness gets the heart, there the heart hates pride; and where pride gets uppermost in the heart, there the heart hates covetousness. Thus a man may hate sin, not from a principle of grace, but from the contrariety of lust. He does not hate any sin, as it is sin; but he hates it, as being contrary to his beloved sin.

Now then, if a man may hate sin for the shame that attends it; if he may hate sin more in others than himself; if he may hate one sin as being contrary to another;—then he may hate sin, and yet be but almost a Christian.

VI. A man may make great vows and promises—he may have strong purposes and resolutions against sin, and yet be but almost a Christian.

Thus did Saul; he promises and resolves against his sin: “Return, my son David,” saith he, “for I will no more do thee harm.” What promises and resolves did Pharaoh make against that sin of detaining God’s people?—saith he, “I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice to the Lord.” And again, “I will let ye go, and ye shall stay no longer.” And yet Saul and Pharaoh both perished in their sins. The greatest purposes and promises against sin will not make a man a Christian: for,

1. Purposes and promises against sin, never hurt sin: we say, “threatened folks live long;” and truly so do threatened sins. It is not new purposes, but a new nature, that must help us against sin: purposes may bring to the birth, but without a new nature, there is no strength to bring forth. The new nature is the best soil for holy purposes to grow in; otherwise, they wither and die, like plants in an improper soil.

2. Troubles and afflictions may provoke us to large purposes and promises against sin for the future. What more common, than to vow, and not to pay? to make vows in the day of trouble, which we make no conscience to pay in the day of grace? Many covenant against sin, when trouble is upon them; and then sin against their covenant, when it is removed from them. It was a brave rule that Pliny, in one of his epistles, gave his friend to live by, “That we should continue to be such when we are well, as we promise to be when we are sick.” Many are our sick-bed promises, but we are no sooner well, than we grow sick of our promises.

3. Purposes and resolves against sin for the future, may be only a temptation to put off repentance for the present. Satan may put a man on to good purposes, to keep him from present attempts. He knows whatever we purpose, yet the strength of performance is not in ourselves. He knows, that purposes for the future are a putting God off for the present; they are a secret will not, to a present opportunity. That is a notable passage, “Follow me,” saith Christ, to the two men. Now see what answers they gave to Christ;—“Suffer me first to go and bury my father,” says one. This man purposes to follow Christ, only he would stay to bury his father. Says the other, “Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go and bid them farewell which are at my house:” I will follow thee, but only I would first go and take my leave of my friends, or set my house in order; and yet we do not find that ever they followed Christ notwithstanding their fair purposes.

4. Nature unsanctified may be so far wrought on, as to make great promises and purposes against sin.

1st, A natural man may have great convictions of sin, from the workings of an enlightened conscience.

2d, He may approve of the law of God.

3d, He may have a desire to be saved.

Now these three together—the workings of conscience; the sight of the goodness of the law; a desire to be saved,—may bring forth in a man great purposes against sin, and yet he may have no heart to perform his own purposes. This was much like the case of them—say they to Moses, “Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say: and tell thou it to us, and we will hear it, and do it.” This is a fair promise, and so God takes it: “I have heard the words of this people; they have well said all they have spoken.” So said, and so done, had been well; but it was better said than done; for though they had a tongue to promise, yet they had no heart to perform; and this God saw: therefore said he, “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep my commandments always, that it might be well with them!” They promised to fear God, and keep his commandments; but they wanted a new heart to perform what an unsanctified heart had promised. It fares with men in this case, as it did with that son in the gospel, that said, He would go into the vineyard, but went not.”

Now then, if purposes and promises against sin, never hurt sin; if present afflictions may draw out large promises; if they may be the fruit of a temptation—or, if from nature unsanctified surely then a man may promise and purpose much against sin, and yet be but almost a Christian.

VII. A man may maintain a strife and combat against sin in himself, and yet be but almost a Christian. So did Balaam when he went to curse the people of God, he had a great strife within himself. “How shall I curse,” saith he, “whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied?” And did not Pilate strive against his sin, when he said to the Jews, “Shall I crucify your king? what evil hath he done. I am innocent of the blood of this just man.”

Objection. But you will say, “Is not this an argument of grace, when there is a striving in the soul against sin? for what should oppose sin in the heart but grace? The apostle makes “the lusting of the flesh against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh,” to be an argument of grace in the heart. Now I find this strife in my heart, though the remainders of corruption sometimes break out into actual sins, yet I find a striving in my soul against sin.

Answer. It is true, there is a striving against sin, which is only from grace, and is proper to believers; and there is a striving against sin, which is not from grace, and therefore may be in them that are not believers.. There is a strife against sin in one and the same faculty; the will against the will—the affection against the affection; and this is that which the apostle calls “the lusting of the flesh against the spirit;” that is, the striving of the unregenerate part against the regenerate; and this is ever in the same faculty, and is proper to believers only.

An unbeliever never finds this strife in himself. This strife cannot be in him; it is impossible, as such; that is, while he is on this side a state of grace. But then there is a striving against sin in divers faculties; and this is the strife that is in them that are not believers. There, the strife is between the will and the conscience; conscience enlightened and terrified with the fear of hell and damnation—that is against sin the will and affection, not being renewed, they are for sin. And this causes great tugging and combats many times in the sinner’s heart. Thus it was with the Scribes and Pharisees. Conscience convinced them of the divinity of Christ, and of the truth of his being the Son of God; and yet a perverse will, and carnal affections, cry out, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”—Conscience pleaded for him. He had a witness in their bosoms; and yet their wills were bent against him: and therefore they are said “to have resisted the Spirit;” namely, the workings and convictions of the Spirit in their consciences. And this is the case of many sinners: when the will and affections are for sin, and plead for it, conscience is against it, and many times frights the soul from the doing of it. And hence men take that which opposes sin in them to be grace, when it is only the work of a natural conscience. They conclude the strife is between grace and sin—the regenerate and unregenerate part; when, alas.! it is no other than the contention of a natural conscience against a corrupt will and affections.—And if so, then a man may have great strifes and combats against sin in him; and yet be but almost a Christian.

5. A man may desire grace, and yet be but almost a Christian. So did the five foolish virgins: “Give us of your oil.” What was that but true grace? It was that oil that lighted the wise virgins into the bridegroom’s chamber. They do not only desire to enter in, but they desire oil to light them in. Wicked men may desire heaven—desire a Christ to save them; there is none so wicked upon earth, but desire to be happy in heaven. But now here are they that desire grace as well as glory, and yet these are but almost Christians.

Objection. But is it not commonly taught that desires of grace are grace? nay, doth not our Lord Christ make it so?—“Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.”

Answer. It is true, that there are some desires of grace which are grace: as,

1. When a man desires grace from a right sense of his natural state; when he sees the vileness of sin, and the woful, defiled, and loathsome condition he is in by reason of sin; and therefore desires the grace of Christ to renew and change him,—this is grace. This some make to be the lowest degree of saving faith.

2. When a man joins proportionable endeavors to his desires; doth not only wish for grace, but work for grace; such desires are grace.

3. When a man’s desires are constant and incessant, that cease not but in the attainment of their object; such desires are true grace. They are a part of the especial work of the Spirit. They do really partake of the nature of grace; now it is a known maxim, “that which partakes of the nature of the whole, is a part of the whole;” the filings of gold are gold. The sea is not more really water, than the least drop; the flame is not more really fire than the least spark.

But though all true desires of grace, are grace yet all desires of grace, are not true: for,

1. A man may desire grace, but not for itself, but for somewhat else; not for grace’s sake, but for heaven’s sake: he doth not desire grace, that his nature may be changed, his heart renewed, the image of God stamped upon him, and his lusts subdued in him. These are blessed desires, found only in true believers. The true Christian only can desire grace for grace’s sake; but the almost Christian may desire grace for heaven’s sake.

2. A man may desire grace without proportionable endeavors after grace; many are good at wishing, but bad at working; like him that lay in the grass on a summer’s day, crying out, “O that this were to work?” Solomon saith, “The desire of the slothful kills him.” How so? “For his hands refuse to labor;” He perisheth in his desires. The believer joins desires and endeavors together: “One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after.”

3. A man’s desires of grace may be unseasonable: thus the foolish virgins desired oil when it was too late. The believer’s desires are seasonable; he desires grace in the season of grace, and seeks in a time when it may be found. “The wise man’s heart knows both time and judgment.” He knows his season, and hath wisdom to improve it. The silly sinner doth all his works out of season he sends away the seasons of grace, and then desires grace when the season is over. The sinner doth all too late; as Esau desired the blessing when it was too late, and therefore he lost it; whereas, had he come sooner, he had obtained it. Most men are like Epimetheus, wise too late, they come when the market is done; when the shop is closed, then they have their oil to get. When they lie upon their death-beds, then they desire holy hearts.

4. Desires of grace in many are very inconstant and fleeting, like the “morning dew, that quickly passes away:” or like Jonah’s gourd, that springs up in a night, and withers in a night: they have no root in the heart, and therefore quickly perish. Now, if a man may desire grace, but not for grace’s sake; if desires may be without endeavors; if a man may desire grace when it is too. late; if these desires may be but fleeting and inconstant; then may a man desire grace, and yet be but almost a Christian.

5. A man may tremble at the word of God and yet be but almost a Christian, as Belshazzar did at the handwriting upon the wall.

Objection. But is not that a note of sincerity and truth of grace, to tremble at the word? Both not God say, “To him will I look that is of a poor and contrite spirit, and trembles at my word?”

Answer. There is a two-fold trembling.

1. One is, when the word discovers the guilt of sin, and the wrath of God that belongs to that guilt; this, where conscience is awake, causes trembling and amazement: thus, when Paul preached of righteousness and judgment, it is said Felix trembled.

2. There is a trembling which arises from a holy dread and reverence of the majesty of God, speaking in his word; this is only found in true believers, and is that which keeps the soul low in its own eyes. Therefore mark how the words run: “To him will I look that is of a poor and contrite spirit, and trembles at my word.” God does not make the promise to him that trembles at the word; for the devils believe and tremble; the word of God can make the proudest, stoutest sinner in the world to shake and tremble,—but it is “to the poor and contrite spirit that trembles.” Where trembling is the fruit of a spirit broken for sin, and low in its own eyes; there will God look. Now many tremble at the word, but not from poverty of spirit, not from a heart broken for sin, and low in its own eyes;, not from a sense of the majesty and holiness of God: and therefore, notwithstanding they tremble at the word, yet they are but almost Christians.

3. A man may delight in the word and ordinances of God, and yet be but almost a Christian: “They take delight in approaching to God.” And it is said of that ground, that it “received the word with joy,” and yet it was but “stony ground.”

Objection. But is it not made a character of a godly man, to delight in the word of God? Doth not David say, “He is a blessed man that delights in the law of the Lord?”

Answer. There is a delighting in the word, which flows from grace, and is a proof of blessedness.

1. He that delights in the word, because of its spirituality, he is a Christian indeed; the more spiritual the ordinances are, the more doth a gracious heart delight in them.

2. When the word comes close to the conscience, rips up the heart, and discovers sin, and yet the soul delights in it notwithstanding; this is a sign of grace.

3. When delight arises from that communion that is to be had with God there, this is from a principle of grace in the soul.

But there may be a delight in the word, where there is no grace.

1. There are many who delight in the word because of the eloquence of the preacher: they delight not so much in the truth delivered, as in the dress in which they are delivered. Thus it is said of the prophet Ezekiel, that he was to them “as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice.”

2. There are very many who delight to hear the word, that yet take no delight to do it: so saith God of them, “They delight to hear my words, but they do them not.”

Now then, if a man may delight in the word, more because of the eloquence of the preacher, than because of the spirituality of the matter; if he may delight to hear the word, and yet not delight to do it,—then he may delight in the word, and yet be but almost a Christian.

VIII. A man may be a member of the church of Christ, he may join himself to the people of God, partake with them in all ordinances, and share of all church privileges, and yet be but almost a Christian.

So the five foolish virgins joined themselves to the wise, and walked together. Many may be members of the church of Christ, and yet not members of Christ, the head of the church. There was a mixed multitude came up with the church of Israel out of Egypt: they joined themselves to the Israelites, owned their God, left their own country, and yet were in heart Egyptians notwithstanding; “All are not Israel, that are of Israel.”

The church in all ages hath had unsound members: Cain had communion with Abel; Ishmael dwelt in the same house with Isaac; Judas was in fellowship with the apostles; and so was Demas with the rest of the disciples. There will be some bran in the finest meal: the drag-net of the Gospel catches bad fish as well as good; the tares and the wheat grow together, and it will be so till the harvest.

God hath a church where there are no members but such as are true members of Christ, but it is in heaven, it is the “church of the first-born;” there are no hypocrites, nor rotten, unsound professors, none but the “spirits of just men made perfect:” all is pure wheat that God layeth up in that garner; there the chaff is separated to unquenchable fire.

But in the church on earth the wheat and the chaff lie in the same heap together; the Samaritans will be near of kin to the Jews when they are in prosperity: so while the church of God flourisheth in the world, many will join to it; they will seem Jews, though they are Samaritans; and seem saints, though yet they are no better than almost Christians.

IX. A man may have great hopes of heaven, great hopes of being saved, and yet be but almost a Christian.

Indeed there is a hope of heaven which is “the anchor of the soul sure and steadfast,” it never miscarries, and it is known by four properties.

First, It is a hope that purifies the heart, purges out sin: “He that hath this hope, purifies himself even as God is pure.” That soul that truly hopes to enjoy God, truly endeavors to be like God.

Secondly, It is a hope which fills the heart with gladness: “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Thirdly, It is a hope that is founded upon the promise: as there can be no true faith without a promise, so, nor any true hope. Faith applies the promise, and hope expects the fulfilling the promise: faith relies upon the truth of it, and hope waits for the good of it; faith gives interest, hope expects livery and seisin.

Fourthly, It is a hope that is wrought by God himself in the soul; who is therefore called, “the God of hope,” as being the Author as well as the Object of hope. Now, he that hath this hope shall never miscarry. This is a right hope; the hope of the true believer: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” But then, as there is a true and sound hope, so there is a false and rotten hope; and this is much more common, as bastard-pearls are more frequently worn than true pearls.