The Sincere Convert

True faith is a precious faith, 2 Pet. 1. 2. precious things cost us much: & we set ⟨p. 265⟩them at an high rate; if thy Faith be so, it hath cost thee many a prayer, many a sob, many a salt tear. But ask most men how they came by their faith in Christ? they say, very easily: when the Lyon sleeps a man may lye and sleep by it, but when it awakens, woe to that man that doth so: so while God is silent and patient, thou mayest befool thy self with thinking thou dost trust unto God: but woe to thee when the LORD appears in his wrath, as one day he will; for by virtue of this false faith, men sinning, take Christ as a dish-clout to wipe them clean again, and that's all the use they have of this faith. They sin indeed, but they trust unto Christ for his mercy, and so lye still in their sins: God will revenge with blood and fire and plagues this horrible contempt from heaven.

True faith is a precious faith, 2 Pet. 1. 2. precious things cost us much: & we set ⟨p. 265⟩them at an high rate; if thy Faith be so, it hath cost thee many a prayer, many a sob, many a salt teare. But ask most men how they came by their faith in Christ? they say, very easily: when the Lyon sleepes a man may lye and sleepe by it, but when it awakens, woe to that man that doth so: so while God is silent and patient, thou mayest befoole thy selfe with thinking thou dost trust unto God: but woe to thee when the LORD appeares in his wrath, as one day he will; for by vertue of this false faith, men sinning, take Christ as a dish-clout to wipe them cleane againe, and that's all the use they have of this faith. They sin indeede, but they trust unto Christ for his mercy, and so lye still in their sinnes: God will revenge with bloud and fire and plagues this horrible contempt from heaven.