(I.) There are general Convictions, and Notices given to some Men and Women by their Consciences, that their Condition or State of Soul is neither right, nor safe; that they want the main thing which constitutes a Christian, viz. Regeneration, or a gracious change of Heart and Life: They hear and read the signs and effects of these things, but their Conscience plainly tells them, it cannot find them in them; that they enjoy the External privileges of the Saints, but they belong not to ⟨p. 15⟩them, that something is still wanting, and that the main thing too: O my Soul, thou art not right; thou hast gifts, thou hast a Name to live, but for all that thou art dead. Some further work must be done upon thee, or thou art undone to Eternity: thou passest for a good Christian among Men, but woe to thee if thou die in the State thou art. These, and such as these are the whispers of some Mens Consciences in their Ears; and yet they cannot yield themselves up into the hands of their Convictions, so as to confess, and bewail their Hypocrisy, and gross mistakes, and seek for a better foundation to build their hope on. Felix his Conscience gave him such a terrible rouse and monition as this, and made him to tremble whilst Paul reasoned with him about Righteousness, and Temperance, and Judgment to come, Acts 24. 25. it whispered in his Ear such Language as this, O poor Soul, how shall such an Oppressor, such an intemperate wretch as thou art stand before God in this day of Judgment, which Paul proves in thy face, is certainly future; for as Tacitus sayeth of him, He was inexplebilis Gurges, an insatiable gulf of Covetousness; so it was with Agrippa, Acts 26. 28. He stood at half bent, dubious and unresolved what to do: He saw the Heavenly Doctrine of Christianity evidently confirmed by Doctrine and Miracles, his Conscience pleaded hard with him to embrace it, and had almost prevailed. Almost, or within a little as the word is, thou persuadest me to be a Christian; but Agrippa had too much Wealth and Honours to deny and forsake for Christ; the Love of the present World overbore both the hopes and fears of the World to come: And thus that Excellent Fisher for Souls, who had throughly converted ⟨p. 16⟩so many to Christ, caught but a piece of Agrippa, almost is a great deal for so great a person: The Gospel is a Drag-net, and brings up all sorts, whole Christians, and half Christians.
(I.) There are general Convictions, and Notices given to some Men and Women by their Consciences, that their Condition or State of Soul is neither right, nor safe; that they want the main thing which constitutes a Christian, viz. Regeneration, or a gracious change of Heart and Life: They hear and read the signs and effects of these things, but their Conscience plainly tells them, it cannot find them in them; that they enjoy the External priviledges of the Saints, but they belong not to ⟨p. 15⟩them, that something is still wanting, and that the main thing too: O my Soul, thou art not right; thou hast gifts, thou hast a Name to live, but for all that thou art dead. Some further work must be done upon thee, or thou art undone to Eternity: thou passest for a good Christian among Men, but wo to thee if thou die in the State thou art. These, and such as these are the whispers of some Mens Consciences in their Ears; and yet they cannot yield themselves up into the hands of their Convictions, so as to confess, and bewail their Hypocrisie, and gross mistakes, and seek for a better foundation to build their hope on. Foelix his Conscience gave him such a terrible rouze and monition as this, and made him to tremble whilst Paul reason'd with him about Righteousness, and Temperance, and Judgment to come, Acts 24. 25. it whispered in his Ear such Language as this, O poor Soul, how shall such an Oppressor, such an intemperate wretch as thou art stand before God in this day of Judgment, which Paul proves in thy face, is certainly future; for as Tacitus sayeth of him, He was inexplebilis Gurges, an insatiable gulph of Covetousness; so it was with Agrippa, Acts 26. 28. He stood at half bent, dubious and unresolved what to do: He saw the Heavenly Doctrine of Christianity evidently confirmed by Doctrine and Miracles, his Conscience pleaded hard with him to embrance it, and had almost prevailed. Almost, or within a little as the word is, thou perswadest me to be a Christian; but Agrippa had too much Wealth and Honours to deny and forsake for Christ; the Love of the present World overbore both the hopes and fears of the World to come: And thus that Excellent Fisher for Souls, who had throughly converted ⟨p. 16⟩so many to Christ, caught but a piece of Agrippa, almost is a great deal for so great a person: The Gospel is a Drag-net, and brings up all sorts, whole Christians, and half Christians.
