The True Convert, Title page – Dedication
THE TRVE CONVERT. OR AN EXPOSITION VPONUPON THE WHOLE Parable of the Prodigall. LVKE. 15.11.12. &c.
Wherein is manifeſtly ſhewed;
1. Mans miſerable eſtate by forſaking of God.
2. Mans happie eſtate by returning to God.
Deliuered in ſundry Sermons, by Nehemiah Rogers, Preacher of Gods Word, at St Margarets Fiſh-ſtreet. And now by him publiſhed, intending the farther benefit of ſo many as then heard it; And the profit of ſo many as ſhall pleaſe to read it.
ACTS 3.19. Repent you therefore and be conuerted, that your ſinnes may be blotted out, when the times of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord.
LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Edward Brewſter, and are to be ſold at his Shop, at the Weſt gate of Pauls, at the ſigne of the Starre. 1620.
TO THE WORSHIPFVL Mr. THOMAS WOOD Rector of St. MARGARETS Fiſh-ſtreet, with the two Churchwardens, and the reſt of the Pariſhioners, his louing Friends and well-willers; All health and happineſſe.
Worſhipfull and welboloued in the Lord:
WHen that Maſter in the Goſpell deliuered his goods vntounto his ſeruants, hee gaue them withall a ſtraight charge, that they ſhould Occupie vntill hee came: foreign Luke 19.13.And put forth thoſe talents which they had receiued; that ſo vponupon his returne hee might receiue ſome anſwerable encreaſe. This charge doth binde mee as well as any other; for what though my receipts bee ſmall and little? yet for this little I ſhall bee called to account; (for ſo was hee that had receiued but one talent, as well as hee that had receiued fiue) (and how ſoone I know not.Math. 25.24. I hauehave beene, and daily am ſummoned to make readie: Deaths darts hauehave lighted round about me; and ſince my comming amongst you, two piercing Arrowes hauehave beene ſhot at mee; the one of them lighted in my bed, the other by my bed-ſide; a Wife (ſo gracious, ſo dutifull;) a Childe (ſo apt, ſo forward) hauehave beene taken from mee. The falling of theſe ſhafts (beſides much ſickeneſſe, weakeneſſe, and other bodily infirmities) (for all which I bleſſe Gods name) doe call vponupon mee to prepare and make my reckonings euen.Pſal. 4. But alas! caſting vp my accounts, and communing with my owne ſoule vponupon my bed, concerning my receipts and gaines, I found my ſelfe to bee much behinde hand with my Maſter, which cauſed mee to caſt about how I might redeeme part of that time which formerly I had ſo idly, ſo wretchedly, miſſpent. At laſt (hauing with all, other ſpeciall reaſons moouing mee thereunto) I reſolued vponupon this courſe; And as by preaching, ſo by publiſhing ſome part of what I had taught in Print, to ſeeke Gods glory, his Churches good, and my owne comfort and reioycing, in the day of the Lord Ieſus. I doe confeſſe I hauehave euer thought it, and ſtill doe thinke it, to be ſafer for me to follow Market nigher home, then to traffique abroad into other coaſts and countries with my Little; To ſpend my time in preaching, rather then in printing ſuch common ſtuffe as this. But foraſmuch as ability of body (though not of minde) is wanting, ſo that I cannot doe what otherwiſe I would; I am enforced to doe what I am able. And thus like a venturous young Merchant I launch forth into the deepe, aduenturing this my Ship vponupon the dangerous and croſſe Seas of mens different opinions. I know I ſhall be toſſed with ſome ſtormie winds of euill cenſure, (though many would perſwade me I ſhall hauehave a faire gale, and a good voyage of it:) But here is my comfort, my Ship is ſound, and my tackling good, Hope is my Anchor, and Faith my Cable; LoueLove my Sailes, and Chriſt my Pilot. I doubt not then but I ſhall ſaue my Veſſell, and bring it ſafe vntounto the Hauen. What though I be ſomewhat ſea-ſicke in this my firſt voyage? I truſt it will be but as Phyſicke for mee, happily it will cauſe me to giuegive an eternall fare-well to all ſuch voyages, and make me reſolue neuer to thruſt my ſelfe into any more ſuch raſh aduentures. In the meane time (my worſhipfull good Friends) this is yours, and ſo is the Author of it, who by many your reſpectiue fauours towards him, doth acknowledge himſelfe to bee much obliged to you. And foraſmuch as this is a time wherin eueryevery gratefull perſon doth by ſome gift or other, ſhew ſome ſigne and token of their louing and kinde affection; In this I conforme my ſelfe to cuſtome, and ſend this Paper-gift vntounto you for your New-yeares gift, giuing it (not after the olde cuſtome of the Heathen, who conſecrated them after an Idolatrous and curſed manner in the names of Ianus, and of Saturne, Suet. in Tiber. cap. 34. Tertul. lib. de Idol. cap. 14.which cuſtome Tiberius (as Suetonius doth report) did by an edict forbid, and was after condemned and aboliſhed by the Church, as Heatheniſh, yea diueliſh) but as a teſtimoniall of my thankefull heart, and as a pledge to all poſterity of my affection towards you; deſiring onelyonly to be eſteemed gratefull, and no otherwiſe to bee recompenced, then with your conſcionable peruſing of what is here preſented. And ſo nothing doubting of your acceptance, I take my leaue; Not ceaſing to pray for you, that your louelove may abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all iudgement; and that you may diſcerne things that differ, and may be pure, and without offence, vntill the day of Chriſt, Reſting
Your ſeruant in Chriſt NEHEMIAH ROGERS.