A59669:522
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.
9. If they feel a want of all these,§9 then they dig within themselves for power to leave sin, power to be more holy and humble, and so think to work out themselves in time, out of this▪ estate, and so they dig for pearls in their own dunghills, and will not be beholding to the Lord Jesus, to live on him in the want of all; they think to set up themselves out of their own stock without Jesus Christ, and so, as the Prophet Hosea speaks 14. 3, 4. think to save themselves by their riding on Horses, (that is) by their own abilities.
9. If they feele a want of all these,§9 then they dig within themselves for power to leave sinne, power to be more holy and humble, and so thinke to worke out themselves in time, out of this▪ estate, and so they digge for pearles in their owne dunghills, and will not be beholding to the Lord Jesus, to live on him in the want of all; they thinke to set up themselves out of their owne stock without Jesus Christ, and so, as the Prophet Hosea speakes 14. 3, 4. thinke to save themselves by their riding on Horses, (that is) by their owne abilities.
10. If they feel no help here, then §10they go unto Christ for grace and ⟨p. 240⟩power to leave sin and do better, whereby they may save themselves; and so they live upon Christ, that they may live of themselves; they go unto Christ, they get not into Christ, Psal. 8. 34, 35. like hirelings that go for power to do their work, that they may earn their wages: A child of God conten•s himself with, and lives upon the inheritance it self, the Lord in his free mercy hath given him. But now we shall see many poor Christians that run in the very road, the Papists devoutly go to Hll in.