A59669:458
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.
If thou art more grieved for the eclipse of thine own honour, and for thine own losses, then for the loss of Gods honour, it is an evident sign thou lovest it not, desirest it not as thy chiefest good, as the last end, for thy summum bonum, and therefore doest not seek Gods honour, in the prime and chiefest place. Sin troubled Paul more than all the plagues and miseries ⟨p. 192⟩of the world: Indeed, if thy name be dashed with disgrace, and thy will be crossed, thy heart is grieved and disquieted, but the Lord may lose his honour daily by thine own sins, and those that be round about thee, but not a tear, not a sigh, not a groan, to behold such a spectacle. As sure as the Lord lives, thou seekest not the Lords name, or honour, as thy greatest good.
If thou art more grieved for the eclipse of thine owne honour, and for thine owne losses, then for the losse of Gods honour, it is an evident signe thou lovest it not, desirest it not as thy chiefest good, as the last end, for thy summum bonum, and therefore doest not seeke Gods honour, in the prime and chiefest place. Sinne troubled Paul more than all the plagues and miseries ⟨p. 192⟩of the world: Indeed, if thy name be dashed with disgrace, and thy will be crossed, thy heart is grieved and disquieted, but the Lord may lose his honour daily by thine owne sinnes, and those that be round about thee, but not a teare, not a sigh, not a groane, to behold such a spectacle. As sure as the Lord lives, thou seekest not the Lords name, or honour, as thy greatest good.
Fifthly, In judging the power of sin to be but infirmity; for if any thing trouble an unregenerate man, and makes him call his estate into question, it is sin either in the being or power of it. Now sin in the being ought no•, must not, make a man question his estate, because the best have that left in them, that will humble them, and make them live by faith; therefore the power of sin only can trouble a man. Now if a man do judge of this to be only but infirmity, which the best are compassed about withal; he cannot but lie down securely, and think himself well. And if this error