Why, or whence is it, that many men go so far, as that they come to be almost Christians?
First, It may be to answer the call of conscience. Though few men have grace, yet all men have conscience. Now do but observe, and you shall see how far conscience may go in this work.
1. Conscience owns a God, and that this God must be worshipped and served by the
creature. Atheists in practice, we have many; such as the apostle speak of: "They profess to know God, but in works they deny him." [Titus 1:16] But atheists in judgment none can be. Tully, a heathen, could say, "Nulla gens tam barbara," etc. Now there being such a light in conscience, as to discover that there is a God, and that he must be worshipped by the help of further light—the light of the word: a man may be enabled to do much in the ways of God, and yet his heart [be] without a particle of grace.
2. Know this, that natural conscience is capable of great improvements from the means of grace. Sitting under the ordinances may exceedingly heighten the endowments of conscience. It may be much regulated, though it be not at all renewed: it may be enlightened, convinced, and yet never savingly converted and changed. You read in Heb 6:4, of some that were "once enlightened, and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost." What work shall we call this? It could not be a saving work, a true change and conversion of state: for, notwithstanding this enlightening, and tasting, and partaking, yet they are here said to fall away, Heb 6:6. Had it been a true work of grace, they could never have fallen away from that. A believer may fall, but he cannot fall away: he may fall foully, but he cannot fall finally; for, "underneath are the everlasting arms." [Deut 33:27] His faith is established in the strength of that prayer of Christ,that our faith fail not. Nay, he tells us expressly, that it is eternal life which he gives, from which we shall never perish.
This work, then, here spoken of, cannot be any saving work, because it is not an abiding work; for they that are under it, are said to fall away from it. But though it be not a saving grace, yet it is a supernatural work. It is an improvement made by the word upon the consciences of men, through the power of the Spirit; and therefore they are said to "taste the good word of God," and to be made "partakers of the Holy Ghost." [Heb 6:4] They have not the Spirit abiding in them savingly, but striving with them, and working upon them convincingly, to the awakening and setting conscience on work. And conscience, thus stirred, may carry a man very far in religion, and in the duties of the gospel, and yet be but a natural conscience.
A common work of the Spirit, may stead a man very much in the duties of religion, though it must be a special work of the Spirit that steads a man to salvation. A man may have the assisting presence of the Spirit, enabling him to preach and pray, and yet he may perish for want of the renewing presence of the Spirit, enabling him to believe. Judas had the former, and yet perished for want of the latter. He had the Spirit assisting him to cast out devils; but yet he had not the Spirit renewing him; for he was cast out himself. Thus a man may have an improved conscience, and yet be a stranger to a renewed conscience; and conscience, thus improved, may put a man very much upon duty. I pray God none of us mistake a conscience, thus improved by the word, for a conscience renewed by the Spirit. The mistake is very easy, especially when a line of duties is the fruit of it.[Matthew Mead-The Almost Christian Discovered]
<< Home