• The Almo(l-Chriflian Difcovered. Secondly, To b~ alm"ft "! Chriftian., carries in it thofe advantages and thofcacommodations, which, were they altogether fuch, ~hey muft: lofe; and therefore this is one Rcafon why fo many flick in the' Ncw~btrth: Such a ?ne is no S:~int, and therefore the Men of the VJorld embrace him; fuch a one IS no prophane and fcand alous perfon, and therefore the Children of God embrace him, and think well of him too; and thus he doth hold a correfpondency with both of them; which were he altogether either, one ot the other, he muft break of; _and therefore finding the convcniency of this nt::utral Eftatc, he ftops where he 1s, fhort of true Grace. Were he a prophaue \V' retch, then thofe that are truly godly would avoid his company; or were he truly godly, then the World would reject and fcorn him ; the god! y eftecm and love him, and from their ready Charity they look upon him to be truly gracious. Thofc that are true Chrifiians (thinks the almoft Chriftian) look upon me as fuch as thcmfelves, and what need l begin by a forward Zeal to difobliee the \Vorld? And the wicked and prophane refpeCl: me too, becaufe 1 go a little before them ( t hough not quite crofs and contrary to them) and fa I enjoy the good opinion of both forts, which were l fully one or the other, I fhould hardly attain. This Man can (as it were) hold Heaven wit!t One hand, and yet hold the \ Vorld with the other, not lofc his intcreft in the one, and yet retlin his intereft in the other ; he can enjoy t he delights and pleafures of the one, and then hope for the rewards and happincfs of the other. Were we lodged in a Star, then the EJrth would appear very fmall, and almoft nothi ng, as the Srar~ do now to us; fo were we more above, the Earth would appear eithe r as very frnall, or as nothing. Thus it is with a Child of God ; he fea rs up by the wings of F,lith and Love to the heavenly 'J~ru[altm, and the Earth appears very ii1C01llidcrablc to him; but now an unregenerate Man, when he mounts higheft, yet ftill will be fure to keep Ear th in his eye; l1c will not Jofe the fight of that; and therefore when he bath got to fuch a pitch that he is able to diR.over fome.. thing of Heaven, and yet not lofe the fight of Earth, there he l;angs in ttqui... librio, and will be drawn no further; he keeps fomething of the Earth in his eye, and will not lofe nor dimlnilh his fight or fhare of it for the Hopei and Joys of Hea~ ven. Thirdly, Falfe Opinimt and Conctitt that they are already Chrifrians, hinder thefe forward Profcffors from being true Chriftiaru. It may be they would be Chri.. ftians indeed, did they not think they were already fuch~ When Men arc gone far, then t hey are apt to think they are got ho1ne, and fo they h <:"'fC taken up their rcft, and will be driven on no further; they think that what they have already gottcn, is enough to bear their charges to Heaven, and fa they grow carelefs of ge tting more; they arc perfwadcd that they are Chrifl:ians, and that keeps them from being ptrfwadcd to be fuch. I do not intend to forbid eminent ProfeflOrs to think they are indeed Chriftians; but let them look how this pcrfwafion works with them: Doth it tend to make them more carclefs, negligent and remifs? When they have been under Troubles of Confcience for their Sins, then they faw themfelves in a loft and undone Condition, and had hot and fcalding apprehenfiom of the \Vrath of God ; thtn they were laborious to frequent Duties, confcientious in their walk.. ing, and fearful left they fhould fin; but fince their Troubles have been worn off7 they have entertained better Hopes, and better Opinions of their ftate. Are they not grown more Ioofe and more regardlefs? They do not take fo much pains with their hearts, nor are they fo ftritt and holy, and fevere in their Lives; ( muft tell fuch what the Apoftlc tells the Galatiant, Cb. 5· 7, S. Ye did run wtl/; who hindered you? This perfWaflon tonwh not of him that ctt/Jeth you. ThiS perfwafion th:H you arc Chriftians, cometh not of him that calleth you; ponibly it would be well with them 1f they did not think they were fo. Sirs, if fa be that thoughts of your being Chrifl:ians, and in a ftate of Grace, did encourage yob to walk wo1 thy of that holy Calling; if the hopes of your good and holy eftate, do en.. gage you to purifie your felves as God is pure, as they will work if they be right and genuine, then It ill entertain and chcrilh them ; but if they turn to loofnefs, remiffneiS or prefumption, here fnf_pcCt: them to be the overweening Conceits and Elevations of a carnal Heart, and fuch as will certainly hinder you of what you thus fondly ichagine your felves to be~ hinder you from making further progrefs in the Ways of Chri!tiauity, in regard you take up falfc ~onceits that you are Chriltian• already. Fourthly; 743
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