A59669:127
The Sincere Convert
The sincere convert discovering the paucity of true believers and the great difficulty of saving conversion by Tho. Shepherd ....The sincere convert discovering the paucity of true beleevers and the great difficulty of saving conversion by Tho. Shepheard ....
London: printed by T.P. and M.S. for Humphrey Blunden, 1641
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But secondly, we were all in Adam, §2as a whole country in a Parliament-man, the whole Country doth what he doth; And although we made no particular choice of Adam to stand for us, yet the Lord made it for us; who being goodness it self, bears more good will to man, than he can or could bear to himself; and being wisdom it self, made the wisest choice, and took the wisest course for the good of man; For this made most for mens safety and quiet; for if he had stood, all fear of loosing our happy estate had vanished; whereas, if every man had been left to stand or fall for himself, a man would ever have been in fear of falling.
But secondly, we were all in Adam, §2as a whole countrey in a Parliamentman, the whole Countrey doth what he doth; And although wee made no particular choyce of Adam to stand for us, yet the Lord made it for us; who being goodnesse it selfe, beares more good will to man, than he can or could beare to himselfe; and being wisdome it selfe, made the wisest choice, and took the wisest course for the good of man; For this made most for mens safety and quiet; for if he had stood, all feare of loosing our happy estate had vanish'd; whereas, if every man had beene left to stand or fall for himselfe, a man would ever have beene in feare of falling.
And again, this was the sure way to have all mens estates preserved; for ⟨p. 44⟩having the charge of the estates of all men, that ever should be in the world, he was the more pressed to look the more about him, and so to be more watchful, that he be not robbed, and so undo and procure the curses of so many thousands against him. Adam was the Head of mankind, and all mankind naturally are members of that head: and if the Head invent and plot Treason, and the head practise treason against the King or State, the whole body i• found guilty, and the whole body must needs suffer. Adam was the poisoned root and cistern of all mankind, now the branches and streams being in the root and spring originally, they therefore are tainted with the same poisonous Principles. If these things satisfy not, God hath a day coming wherein he will reveal his own righteous proceedings before men and Angels,