The Sincere Convert

It's to be feared, that such kind of people, (as I have much observed) are either notoriously ignorant, or have sometime or other fallen into some horrible secret grievous sins, as whoredom, oppression, or the like, the guilt of which lying yet secretly on them, makes them fly from the light of Gods truth, which would find them out, quarrelling both against it, and the Ministers that preach it, Rom. 2. 8. And therefore as it is with thieves when they have any stolen goods brought within doors, they will ⟨p. 171⟩not be searched or suspected, but say, they are as honest men as themselves that come to search, for they fear if they be found out, that they shall be troubled before the judge, and may hardly escape with their lives: so many old Professors, when the Minister comes to search them, they clap to the doors upon the man and truth to•, and say they hope to be saved as well as the best of them all. The reason is, they are guilty, they are loath to be troubled and cast down by seeing the worst of themselves, and think it's hard for them to go to heaven, and be saved, if they have been in a wrong way all their life-time. An honest heart will cry after the best means, Lord search me, John 3. 20. and open all the doors to the entertainment of the straightest, strictest truths.

It's to be feared, that such kind of people, (as I have much observed) are either notoriously ignorant, or have sometime or other fallen into some horrible secret grievous sinnes, as whoredome, oppression, or the like, the guilt of which lying yet secretly on them, makes them fly from the light of Gods truth, which would find them out, quarrelling both against it, and the Ministers that preach it, Rom. 2. 8. And therefore as it is with theeves when they have any stollen goods brought within doores, they will ⟨p. 171⟩not be searched or suspected, but say, they are as honest men as themselves that come to search, for they feare if they be found out, that they shall be troubled before the judge, and may hardly escape with their lives: so many old Professors, when the Minister comes to search them, they clap to the doores upon the man and truth to, and say they hope to be saved as well as the best of them all. The reason is, they are guilty, they are loath to bee troubled and cast downe by seeing the worst of themselves, and thinke it's hard for them to goe to heaven, and be saved, if they have beene in a wrong way all their life-time. An honest heart will cry after the best meanes, Lord search me,