The Almofi-Chrifiian Difcovered. efteem the Preacher of it . And is it not fo even among lls? Are there not many who may come to the Ordinances in a natural and finful Eftate and Condition, the fame \Vord of God i9 caft among them all; yea, but what is the Succefs? The S~rord of the Spi,·it when it is brandijhed amongft: a great Croud of Confciences, it js not likely that it Jhould mifs all, and itrike none of them; one perhaps goes away fli ghti ng and contemning; another goes away fcoffing and railing againft it; and another half-perfuaded by it to become a Chriftian, to be almoft a Chriftian. If every Man's Breaft had a Cafement in it by which we might fee the inward Eftuations and Boilings of their Hearts, how they work after a powerful and terrifying Sermon ; fhould we not behold and fee fame fhifting, and fhuffiing their Sins out of the way; fame holding up the Bucklers of prejudicatc Opinions, to ward and fence offtheftroke of the ~pirit; fame fretting and ftorming at the lancing of their Confciences; fame fcorning and fcoffing with Feftt#, that it is no better than Folly and Madnefs; fame trembling with Felix; fame convinced and wrought upon as Agrippa to faint refolutions, and half~purpofes; and yet all thefe remain under the Power of Unbelief and Unregeneracy. It is indeed a wonder among fuch diverfity of Operations. that the Word hath upon the Souls and Confciences of Men, it could be poffiblc that fuch a multitude fhould go away without any faving Operation by it; fame blinded and hardned, fame terrified, fame ftupi[l.ed ; fame cxafperated and inraged ; fame convinced and half-perfuaded, and fuch are thofe that we now fpeak of: Such are, as it were, half of one Complexion, and half of another that Itick in the New Birth, whofe Hearts bave been warmed wi:'th eood Mocions; who have entertained approving and admiring Thoughts conceruing the ways of Holinefs, who have taken up fome refolutions of doing better, and of being better ; and yet do not come off roundly and fpeedily from their Sins, nor clofe fully with Chrift. Thefe are the half-Chrill:ians which the Text fpeaks of. The Words they are plain in themfelves; and therefore do not require much Explication. Only the Word tranflated .Aimoft thou perfuadeft me, &c. if accurately rendred according to the Original, it is a little thou perfuadeft me, &c. So in the Reply St. Paul makes with a holy kind ofGaliantry in the enfuing Verfe you find there it is oppofed to much, which we render altogether; but the Grammati.. cal Conftruaion is, Would to God they were both a!J and in much fuch as 1 am except thefe Bonds. So then in a little thou pcrfuadcft me ; that is, I could methinks be contented to be a Chriftian in a little, in fame few things ; fame part of the Way I could willingly go, faith Agrippa: But St. Paul concludes, il muft not be only in a little, but in much, in all. If we follow this Sence and Interpretation of the \Vord~; then obferve, DOCt. 1. There goes much to the making of a true ChYiftia1l, a little will t1ot fcrve. It is not a liCtle will ferve ; for many precious Ingredients go to the making of a true Chrifrian ; and much of each Ingredient goes to the making o( a ftrong Chriftian. There mutt be Profeffion, Faith, Obedience, Self~dcnial, Patience, Humility, outward Preparation .and inward Graces, outward Imbellifhmcnts and inward Ornaments, and a little of it is but little worth. There are many that are perfuaded to be Chriftians in Name and Profellion, to be Chriftians in outward participation of Ordinances and Communion with Sa..ints, and the like; yea, but this is to be a Chriftian but only in a little. Are you perfuaded to obey Chrift in alJ, to take up his Crofs, and deny your felves, to oppofe and mortif1e your Lufts, and to perform the harlheft and fevereft part of Religion? This is indeed to be a Chriftian not only in a little but in much; yea,. in all, to be fuch as St. Paul himfelf was. But then if you take the Words according to our TranOation, which the Original alfo will very well bear. So it is within a little or almoft thou perfuadeft me; for King Arippa was fully convinced of the Truth of thofc things which Paul related, as you may fee, v. 26. He knew thefe things, and was ignorant of none of them, they were not hidden from him ; for thefe thingi were not done in a corner. He could not be igr..orant of the miraculous Converfion of him, who had been fo fu-: rious and notorious a Perfecutor of Chriftians: He, who was expert in all the Cuftoms that were among the J ews, ver. 3· could not be ignorant of what the Apoftlc affirms, vcr. 22., 23. This that M o[cs and the Prophets foretold that Chrift Ihould fulfer and be raifed from the dead, and Ihould give life to the Gentiles: Of all this King.Agrippa was fully convinced; and yet when P"ul fo. iofiuua~iogly preflCth Y Y YYll upoo 721
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