A59669:439
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.
First, they raise up false reports, of Gods people, and nourish a kennel of evil suspicions of them: if they know ⟨p. 177⟩any sin committed by them, they will §1conclude, they be all such; if they see no offensive sin in any of them, they are then reputed a pack of Hypocrites: If they are not so uncharitable (having no grounds) they prophesy they will hereafter be as bad as others, though they carry a fair flourish now.
First, they raise up false reports, of Gods people, and nourish a kennell of evill suspitions of them: if they know ⟨p. 177⟩any sin committed by them, they will §1conclude, they be all such; if they see no offensive sinne in any of them, they are then reputed a pack of Hypocrites: If they are not so uncharitable (having no grounds) they prophesy they will hereafter be as bad as others, though they carry a faire flourish now.
Secondly, if they judge well of §2them, then they compare themselves to them, by taking a scantling only by their outside, and by what they see in them, and so, like children, seeing stars a great way off, think them no bigger nor brighter then winking candles. They stand a far off from seeing the inside of a child of God, they see not the glory of God filling that temple, they see not the sweet influence they receive from heaven, and that fellowship they have with their God; and hence they judge but meanly of them, because the out side of a Christian is the worst part of him, and his glory shines chiefly within.
Secondly, if they judge well of §2