A Sort of Believers Never Saved, Title page – Preface
A Sort of BELIEVERS NEVER SAVED. OR, The Danger of Miſcarrying in Point of SALVATION, by a falſe Ineffectual Faith; a Faith having no Root; whereby Many Profeſſors either fall away after Hopeful Beginnings; or Miſs of Heaven in the Height of their Hopes. The Subſtance of Two SERMONS; Part of the Opening and Applying the Parable of the Sower, and the Seed that fell on the Rock, Luk. viii. 13.
Preached at Lynn, in the County of Eſſex, N. E. By J. SHEPARD.
Publiſhed at the Requeſt of ſome of the Inhabitants of the Town, for the Benefit of others in the Place.
1 Cor. xiii. 5.
Examine your ſelves whether you be in the Faith: Prove your own ſelves: Know ye not your own ſelves, how that Jeſus Chriſt is in you, Except ye be Reprobates.
BOSTON: Printed by B Green: Sold by Eleazer Phillips at his Shop under the Town-houſe in the Kings Street. 1711.
THE PREFACE.
Chriſtian Reader,
WHAT is here Emitted in the Subſequent Pages, was never Preach'd to be Printed, but only to be Succeeded with Prayers, for an Impreſſion upon the Hearts of the Hearers: and Publiſhed to Gratify ſuch Pious well Affected Perſons, who having received ſome fruit & benefit thereby themſelves; were willing to be at Expences in Publiſhing what is here preſented, with a ſingle aim at the Profit of their Neighbours: and that the Seed ſown might yet produce more Fruit, to the Glory of God.
The Author would have been very well Satisfyed & Contented, if the Enſuing Sheets had been lodg'd in ſilence, with the Reſt of his Uſeleſs Manuſcripts, as being ſenſible, that what is Expoſed to Publick View (tho' the beſt Ends be aimed at) is Expoſed to the Cavils and Cenſures of ſuch, who Read only to Paſs their Verdict upon the Worth or Weakneſs of the Author; rather than for any Edification or Profit.
But ſince (thro' Grace) the Seed hath fallen upon ſome Good Ground, & Proſpered; as it doth abundantly Compenſate the Barrenneſs of the other Sorts of Soil; So it doth arm againſt the Reflections of thoſe, who are wont to Redicule the Fooliſhneſs of Preaching: Remembring alſo the Obligations I lye under to a kind People, whom I have Served in the Goſpel of Chriſt upwards of Thirty Years; and who may juſtly Challenge any of my Poor Labours, for their Rewards.
Upon theſe Grounds, what hath been Publickly delivered, could not Reaſonably be denied a farther Publication; Eſpecially the Subject Inſiſted on (tho' weakly managed by the Author) yet it is of the greateſt Importance in theſe Latter, Declining, Apoſtatizing Days; wherein (as our Saviour hath foretold, Luk. 18.8.) That Faith ſhall ſcarce be found on Earth; and wherein moſt are ſo beſotted to the Earth, that they are miſerably bewilder'd in their way to Heaven: Ignorance, Atheiſm, Errour & Epicuriſm beſot the World: Millions are born into the World, they know not Why, nor for what End; They live in the world they care not How, nor after what Manner; and they go out of the World they know not Whether, or to what Place. Millions of miſerable Souls live as if they had no SOULS they have ſomewhat (it may be) for this Life; but what have they to build on, for ETERNITY ▪ Souls they have, that muſt live for Ever; but no Preparation for Life & Happineſs for Ever; All have Souls to Save, but few have Salvation for them; an Eternity to Paſs through; but nothing to bear their Charges in that Endleſs Duration & Ages without End.
If any among theſe Dark Mountains here below, ſhould chance to Stumble upon the Jailors Queſtion, & cry out, What ſhall we do to be Saved? Why what is here offered, may Contribute ſomething, which (with Gods Bleſſing) may Prove an Anſwer in due Seaſon by directing to a Saving & Effectual Faith in Chriſt, the only Condition of Salvation; & Detecting a falſe Counterfeit Faith, whereby Multitudes of Profeſſors run themſelves upon the Rocks; making-Shipwrack of Faith and a Good Conſcience; and ſo miſcarry in point of Salvation: that Believe but never are Saved; and miſs of Heaven in the Height of their Hopes.
Now that thoſe that have Publiſhed, Heard, or may Count it worth their Leiſure, to Peruſe what is here Emitted; and that the Seed of Faith may take Rooting in them all; that they all may be begotten unto a lively Hope, by the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the Dead; and that ſuch may have a ſtanding in Grace, and be built up in their moſt Holy Faith, & not fall away from their ſtedfaſtneſs, like the ſtony Ground, in the Hour of Temptation; And the Good Lord Grant unto us all at laſt an Inheritance, among them, that are Sanctifyed by Faith in Chriſt: is the Ardent Prayer & Requeſt of the moſt Unworthy Servant of Chriſt, in the Fellowſhip of the Goſpel.
Lynn. April 3d. 1711. J. SHEPARD.