There Are Very Many in the World That Are Almost, and Yet but Almost Christians

There are [reconstructed: two] sad expressions in Scripture which I cannot but take notice of in this place.

The one is concerning the truly righteous.

The other is concerning the seemingly righteous.

It is said of the truly righteous, he shall scarcely be saved; and it is said of the seemingly righteous, he shall be almost saved. You are not far from the Kingdom of God (Mark 12:34).

The righteous shall be saved with a scarcely; that is, through much difficulty: he shall go to Heaven through many sad fears of Hell.

The hypocrite shall be saved with an almost; that is, he shall go to Hell through many fair hopes of Heaven.

There are two things arise from hence, of very serious meditation.

The one is, how often a believer may miscarry, how low he may fall, and yet have true grace.

The other is, how far a hypocrite may go in the way to Heaven, how high he may attain, and yet have no grace.

The saint may be cast down very near to Hell, and yet shall never come there; and the hypocrite may be lifted up very near to Heaven, and yet never come there.

The saint may almost perish, and yet be saved eternally; the hypocrite may almost be saved, and yet perish finally.

For the saint at worst is really a believer, and the hypocrite at best is really a sinner.

Before I handle the doctrine I must premise three things which are of great use for the establishing of weak believers, that they may not be shaken and discouraged by this doctrine.

First, there is nothing in the doctrine that should be matter of stumbling or discouragement to weak Christians.

The Gospel does not speak these things to wound believers, but to awaken sinners and formal professors.

As there are none more averse than weak believers to apply the promises, and comforts of the Gospel to themselves, for whom they are properly designed;

So there are none more ready than they to apply the threats and severest things of the Word to themselves, for whom they were never intended.

As the disciples, when Christ told them, one of you shall betray me, they that were innocent, suspected themselves most, and therefore cry out Master is it I?

So weak Christians, when they hear sinners reproved, or the hypocrite laid open, in the ministry of the word, they presently cry out, it is I.

It is the hypocrite's fault to sit under the trials and discoveries of the Word, and yet not to mind them.

And it is the weak Christian's fault to draw sad conclusions of their own state from premises which nothing concern them.

There is indeed great use of such doctrine as this is, to all believers.

1. To make them look to their standing, upon what foundation they are, and to see that the foundation of their hope be well laid, that they build not upon the sand, but upon a rock (Matthew 7:24-26).

2. It helps to raise our admiration of the distinguishing love of God in bringing us into the way everlasting, when so many perish from the way; and in overpowering our souls into a true conversion, when so many take up with a graceless profession (Psalm 139:24).

3. It incites to that excellent duty of heart searching, that so we may approve ourselves to God in sincerity (1 Corinthians 13:5).

4. It engages the soul in doubled diligence, that it may be found not only believing, but persevering in faith to the end.

These duties (and such as these are) make this doctrine of use to all believers, but they ought not to make use of it as a stumbling block in the way of their peace and comfort.

My design in preaching on this subject, is not to make sad the souls of those whom Christ will not have made sad, I would bring water, not to quench the flax that is smoking, but to put out that false fire that is of the sinner's own kindling, lest walking all his days by the light thereof, he should at last lie down in sorrow (Isaiah 50:1; Matthew 12:20).

My aim is to level the mountain of the sinner's confidence, not to weaken the hand of the believer's faith and dependence, to awaken and bring in secure formal sinners, not to discourage weak believers.

Secondly, I would premise this, though many may go far (very far) in the way to Heaven, and yet fall short, yet that soul that has the least true grace shall never fall short. The righteous shall hold on his way (Job 17:9).

Though some may do very much in a way of duty (as I shall show hereafter) and yet miscarry, yet that soul that does duty with the least sincerity shall never miscarry. For he saves the upright in heart (Psalm 7:10).

The least measure of true grace is as saving as the greatest, it saves as surely, though not so comfortably.

The least grace gives a full interest in the blood of Christ, whereby we are thoroughly purged; and it gives a full interest in the strength and power of Christ, whereby we shall be certainly preserved.

Christ keeps faith in the soul, and faith keeps the soul in Christ, and so we are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation (1 Peter 1:5).

Thirdly, I would premise this, they that can hear such truths as this, without serious reflection and self examination, I much suspect the goodness of their condition.

You'll suspect that man to be next door to a bankrupt, that never casts up his shop, nor looks over his books; and I as verily think that man a hypocrite, that never searches nor deals with his own heart.

He that goes on in a road of duties without any rub or doubting of his state, I doubt no man's state more than his.

When we see a man sick, and yet not sensible, we conclude the tokens of death are upon him.

So when sinners have no sense of their spiritual condition, it is plain that they are dead in sin, the tokens of eternal death are upon them.

These things being premised (which I desire you would carry along in your mind while we travel through this subject) I come to speak to the proposition more distinctly and closely.