Object. But is not that man that is changed, a true Chriftian?

Solut. Not every change makes a man a Christian; indeed there is a change, that whoever is under it, he is a true Chriftian. When a man's heart is fo changed, as that it is renewed, when old things are done away, and all things are become new, 2 Cor. v. 17. when the kainectifis, new creature is wrought in the foul, when a man is turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God. Acts xxvi. 18. When the mind is enlightened, the will renewed, the affections made heavenly, then a man is a Chriftian indeed.

But now you must know, that every change is not this change: For,

(1.) There is a civil change, a moral change, as well as a fpiritual and fupernatural change. Many men are changed in a moral fenfe; and one may fay, they are become new men, but they are in heart and nature the fame men ftill. They are not changed in a fpiritual and fupernatural fenfe, and therefore it cannot be faid of them, they are become new creatures."

Restraining grace may caufe a moral change, but it is renewing grace that muft caufe a faving change. Now many are under restraining grace, and fo changed morally, that are not under the power of renewing grace, and fo changed favingly.

(2.) There is an outward change, as well as an inward change; the outward change is often without the inward, though the inward change

change is never without the outward. A man's heart cannot be sanctified, but it will influence the life; but a man's life may be reformed, and yet never affect or influence the heart.

(3.) A man may be converted from a course of profaneness, to a form of godliness; from a filthy converfation, to a fair profeffion; and yet the heart the fame, in one and the other. A rotten post may be gilt without, and yet unfound within. "Hypocrita in verbis fanctus, in corde vanus, intus Nero, foras Cato. Audiy nemo melius; fpecta, nemo pejus." It is common to have the outfide of the cup and platter made clean, and yet the infide foul and filthy. Matth. xxiii. 25.

Now then, if a man may be changed morally, and yet not fpiritually; outwardly, and yet not inwardly; from a courfe of profaneness, to a lifeless form of godlinefs, then a man may be under great and vifible changes, and yet be no more than almost a Chriftian.

I do not speak this to discountenance any change, fhort of that that is spiritual; but to awaken you to feek after that change, which is more than moral. It is good to be outwardly reformed, but it is better to be favingly renewed. I know how natural it is for ment to take up with any thing like a work of converfion, though it be not converfion; and refting in that, they eternally perifh.

Beloved, let me tell you, there is no change, no conversion can ftead your fouls in the day of judgment, on this fide that faving work

which is wrought on the foul by the Spirit of God renewing you throughout, 1 Theff. v. 25. The fober man without this change, fhall as furely go to hell as the beastly drunkard.

Morality and civility may commend us to men, but not to God: They are of no value in the procurement of an eternal falvation. A man may go far in an outward change, and yet not be one ftep nearer heaven, than he that never was under any change; nay, he may be (in fome fenfe) farther off, as Chrift faith, the fcribes and Pharifees were farther from heaven with all their fhow of godliness, than publicans or harlots, in all their fin and uncleannefs. Matth. xxi. 31. Because resting in a falfe work, a partial change, we neglect to feek after a true and faving change. There. is nothing more common than to mistake our ftate, and by over- weaning thoughts mif-judge our condition, and fo perifh in our own delufions. The world is full of these foolish builders, that lay the foundation of their hopes of eternal falvation upon the fand. Mat. vii. 26.

Now, my brethren, would you not mistake the way to heaven, and perifh in delufion? Would you not be found fools at laft? For none are fuch fools as the fpiritual fool, who is a fool in the great business of falvation.Would you not be fools for your fouls, and for eternity? O then, labour after and pray for a thorow work of converfion; beg of God that he would make a faving change in your fouls, that you may be altogether Chriftians.

All

All other changes below this faving change, this heart change, make us but almoft Chriftians.

(11.) A may may be zealous in the matters of religion, and yet be but almost a Chriftian. Jehu did not only ferve God, and do what he commanded him, but was very zealous in his fervice. 2 Kings, x. 16. "Come

with me, and fee my zeal for the Lord of host; and yet in all this Jehu was a very hypocrite, 2 Chron. xxix. Joash was a great reformer in Jehoiadah's time; it is faid, "He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, all the days of Jehoiadah the prieft;" but when Jehoiadah died, Joash his zeal for God died with him, and he becomes a very wretch.

Object. But the Apostle makes zeal to be a note of found Christianity, Gal. iv. 18. “It is good to be zealously affected in a good thing." Nay, it feems to be the non-fuch qualification for obtaining eternal life, "The kingdom of heaven fuffereth violence, and the violent take it by force," Matth. xi. 12.

It is true, there is a zeal which is good, and which renders the foul highly acceptable to God; a zeal that never miffes of heaven andfalvation.

Now this is a zeal which is a celestial fire, the true temper and heat of all affections to God and Chrift; Qui non zelar, non amat. It is a zeal wrought and kindled in the foul by the fpirit of God, who firft knows it, and then

fets

fets it on work; it is a zeal that hath the word of God for its guide, directing it in working, both in regard of its object and end, manner and measure. It is a zeal that checks fin, and forwards the heavenly life; it is a zeal that makes the glory of God its chief end, which fwallows up all by ends; "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up," John ii. 17.

But now all zeal is not this kind of zeal; there is a falfe zeal, as well as a true; every grace hath its counterfeit : As there is fire, which is true heavenly fire on the altar; fo there is ftrange fire.. Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire upon God's altar. Lev. x. 1. There are feveral kinds of zeal, none of which are true and found, but falfe and counterfeit. I will inftance in eight particulars.

(1.) There is a blind zeal, a zeal without knowledge. Rom. x. 2. "They have a zeal (faith the Apostle) but not according to knowledge." Now as knowledge without zeal is fruitlefs, fo zeal without knowledge is dangerous; it is like wild-fire in the hand of a fool, or like the devil in the man poffeffed, that threw him fometimes into the fire, fometimes into the water, Matth. xvii. 5. "Zelus abfque fcientia, quo vehementius irruit, eo gravius corruit." Bern.

The eye is the light of the body, and the understanding is the light of the foul: Now as the body without the light of the eye cannot go without ftumbling; fo the foul without the light of the mind, cannot act without

erring.