2. A second reason that may be assigned why so many are no more than almost christians, is a servile fear of man: multitudes there are and have been, who, though awakened to a sense of the divine life, and have tasted and felt the powers of the world to come; yet out of a base sinful fear of being counted singular, or contemned by men, have suffered all those good impressions to wear off. It is true, they have some esteem for JESUS CHRIST; but then, like _Nicodemus_, they would come to him only by night: they are willing to serve him; but then they would do it secretly, for fear of the _Jews_: they have a mind to see JESUS, but then they cannot come to him because of the press, and for fear of being laughed at, and ridiculed by these with whom they used to sit at meat. But well did our Saviour prophesy of such persons, “How can ye love me, who receive honour one of another?” Alas! have they never read, that “the friendship of this world is enmity with GOD;” and that our LORD himself has threatened, “Whosoever shall be ashamed of me or of my words, in this wicked and adulterous generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father and of his holy angels?” No wonder that so many are no more than almost christians, since so many “love the praise of men more than the honour which cometh of GOD.”
3. A third reason why so many are no more than almost christians, is a reigning love of money. This was the pitiable case of that forward young man in the gospel, who came running to our blessed LORD, and kneeling before him, enquired “what he must do to inherit eternal life;” to whom our blessed Master replied, “Thou knowest the commandments, Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal:” To which the young man replied, “All these have I kept from my youth.” But when our LORD proceeded to tell him, “Yet lackest thou one thing; Go sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor; he was grieved at that saying, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions!” Poor youth! he had a good mind to be a christian, and to inherit eternal life, but thought it too dear, if it could be purchased at no less an expence than of his estate! And thus many, both young and old, now-a-days, come running to worship our blessed LORD in public, and kneel before him in private, and enquire at his gospel, what they must do to inherit eternal life: but when they find they must renounce the self-enjoyment of riches, and forsake all in affection to follow him, they cry, “The LORD pardon us in this thing! We pray thee, have us excused.”
But is heaven so small a trifle in men’s esteem, as not to be worth a little gilded earth? Is eternal life so mean a purchase, as not to deserve the temporary renunciation of a few transitory riches? Surely it is. But however inconsistent such a behaviour may be, this inordinate love of money is too evidently the common and fatal cause, why so many are no more than almost christians.
4. Nor is the love of pleasure a less uncommon, or a less fatal cause why so many are no more than almost christians. Thousands and ten thousands there are, who despise riches, and would willingly be true disciples of JESUS CHRIST, if parting with their money would make them so; but when they are told that our blessed LORD has said, “Whosoever will come after him must deny himself;” like the pitiable young man before-mentioned, “they go away sorrowful:” for they have too great a love for sensual pleasures. They will perhaps send for the ministers of CHRIST, as _Herod_ did for _John_, and hear them gladly: but touch them in their _Herodias_, tell them they must part with such or such a darling pleasure; and with wicked _Ahab_ they cry out, “Hast thou found us, O our enemy?” Tell them of the necessity of mortification and self-denial, and it is as difficult for them to hear, as if you was to bid them “cut off a right-hand, or pluck out a right-eye.” They cannot think our blessed LORD requires so much at their hands, though an inspired apostle has commanded us to “mortify our members which are upon earth.” And who himself, even after he had converted thousands, and was very near arrived to the end of his race, yet professed that it was his daily practice to “keep under his body, and bring it into subjection, lest after he had preached to others, he himself should be a cast-away!”
But some men would be wiser than this great apostle, and chalk out to us what they falsely imagine an easier way to happiness. They would flatter us, we may go to heaven without offering violence to our sensual appetites; and enter into the strait gate without striving against our carnal inclinations. And this is another reason why so many are only almost, and not altogether christians.
5. The fifth and last reason I shall assign why so many are only almost christians, is a fickleness and instability of temper.